Working full-time (or close to full-time)

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How do people do this? I can just about manage to work about 25 hours a week and keep my sanity. I've recently, however, been offered more hours at my workplace, so I am now working 31 hours per week (after breaks which aren't paid for) - or 35 including them and I am EXHAUSTED. In every imaginable, conceivable way.

I have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS), Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, depression and anxiety and have been denied disability which I applied for two years ago (still an ongoing case).

I want to work, but I can't see myself working more than maybe 29 hours per week over the long-term as I start to feel seriously ill at that point.

Honest to God feel as though I am being whipped by the corporate idea of 'productivity' with little concern for my wellbeing or illnesses.

Anyone else in a similar position?

You are doing good to work that many hours with your issues.

Where I work we don't get overtime, and unpaid overtime is strongly discouraged as well.

I've found that about 25-30 hours is about my maximum, too, and it works best for me to do the hours in a few long working days rather than across many short ones - so that can have entire days of rest and isolation. More hours is a double whammy - lost recovery time is as critical as the extra workload. Any more than that, even in work that's rewarding and in a comfortable environment, and the cumulative effect means that a burn-out is pretty much guaranteed eventually.

As I wear down, it makes my anxiety and depression progressively worse, and my autistic traits become far less manageable. I strip my private life to the bone, and use annual leave for recovery time rather than holidays etc., but it gets to a point where inattentiveness at work and the constant need for sick-leave understandably make me a liability to my employer. I've lost quite a few jobs that way - though I didn't know at the time that they were autistic burnouts, as I wasn't diagnosed yet.

This is without the added demands of CFS or Tourette's, so as Fnord said, it sounds like you're pushing yourself pretty hard already.

This is a point I keep making to careers advisers. The ability to work a full week occasionally doesn't mean that it's sustainable long term. Rest and isolation are the only remedy for burning out that I've ever found - little and often is far more productive for both employer and employee than poor work quality and sick-leave when things start falling apart.

Yes, it has to be a sustainable workload.

I also have the luxury of six weeks of vacation and seniority, which means that I can take vacation time pretty much anytime I want. And just call it in instead of of showing up for work that morning.

I view more hours as a short-term sacrifice worth struggling through for the long-term.

An example of how I see it is you can work 15hr/weeks for 3 years, or 45hr/weeks for 1year and have 2 years off. Both of these options have the theoretical same income, so I'd personally rather a terrible year followed by two great years, as apposed to 3 bad years.

The reality of it, though, is simple: Everyone has their own optimal balance. You need to find what yours is and aim for it, to live life to the fullest.

Based on your challenges I'm very impressed that you're working that much. Coming from most people, that may seem patronising, but I can understand being utterly drained from a typical workday and basic interaction.

I'm going to be starting a job soon in which I'll be working fewer hours (32) but still eligible for benefits. I'll have three day weekends every weekend to rest and recharge.

Since you just started with these hours, do you think it's possible you might get used to them?

What do you do, Blitzkrieg?

I work 55 hours a week within two jobs. Both are not really taxing on the mind, fortunately.

Both my jobs are clerical in nature.

Oh, I work in retail. But more backstage operations - a lot of warehouse-y, physical type work. Sorting stock, unloading vehicles etc. It's physically tiring and I hope some day to find a job that I can do mentally but which is less tiring.

A boy can dream.

blitzkrieg, I hope your disability goes through. It typically takes at least 2 years to get a hearing. They tend to deny everyone initially. My sister told me her workmate's daughter was severely impaired and wheelchair bound for life and they denied her claim. Only after physically taking her up to the office and saying "does she look like she can work?" did she get approved.

As for working full time, I don't know. I burned out every time I worked 40+ hours. I think it would help if it is enjoyable work. I was doing retail. Not the backroom kind. The other dreadful kind.

I don't know how the hell I manage 40 hours at a PC. I know it's ultimately bad for me. I'd just make everyone miserable if I brought up my health problems & diagnoses.

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I work 60-70 hours a week. My vocation used to be my special interest, which explains why I can work quite a lot. It largely got replaced by other interests once I entered the workforce -- and had to work in teams. Now I'm trying to rediscover the special interest while also doing the necessary social acrobatics. It's quite difficult so far ...