Comments on: The organization man of the new millennium http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:22:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Penelope Trunk http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-1810 Penelope Trunk Sun, 12 Nov 2006 02:42:20 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-1810 Maureen and Colin - I've been in that position you talk about, where the company is so fun and exciting that it doesn't feel like work to be working nonstop. However there is a <a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/08/03/how-much-money-do-you-need-to-be-happy-hint-your-sex-life-matters-more/" rel="nofollow">huge amount of research</a> to show that work (of any type) doesn't make us happy in nearly as significant a way as relationships with family and friends do. And Colin, when you write that "it's pretty easy to work 12-16 hour days and still find time for friends, family and other pursuits." My math tells me that if you get <a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/10/27/friday-smorgasbord-moralists-ethicists-and-philosophers/" rel="nofollow">7 hours of sleep</a> each night, you have very, very little time for those things, <a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/06/08/hold-ceos-accountable-for-their-parenting/" rel="nofollow">especially if you have kids</a>. And in fact, at 16 hours a day, you have time for nothign but work and sleep. Maureen and Colin - I've been in that position you talk about, where the company is so fun and exciting that it doesn't feel like work to be working nonstop.

However there is a huge amount of research to show that work (of any type) doesn't make us happy in nearly as significant a way as relationships with family and friends do.

And Colin, when you write that "it's pretty easy to work 12-16 hour days and still find time for friends, family and other pursuits." My math tells me that if you get 7 hours of sleep each night, you have very, very little time for those things, especially if you have kids. And in fact, at 16 hours a day, you have time for nothign but work and sleep.

]]> By: Colin Kingsbury http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-1714 Colin Kingsbury Thu, 09 Nov 2006 22:09:29 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-1714 Maureen's point about entrepreneurs is apposite. Since starting my company I've come to believe that a lot of the people who fail do so in large part because they lack the necessary degree of obsession it takes to get something far enough off the ground that you can afford to back off. If I spent every waking hour of the day chiseling away at a block of stone or dabbing paint on a canvas, I suspect you'd be in less of a rush to decide that I 'lack purpose in life.' A lot of people, perhaps most would find the software that I build boring. Fine by me; it's not rock and roll but for me it's all a beautiful game of chess. Besides, once you add in the number of hours a lot of people spend commuting and watching television, it's pretty easy to work 12-16 hour days and still find time for friends, family, and other pursuits. Maureen's point about entrepreneurs is apposite. Since starting my company I've come to believe that a lot of the people who fail do so in large part because they lack the necessary degree of obsession it takes to get something far enough off the ground that you can afford to back off.

If I spent every waking hour of the day chiseling away at a block of stone or dabbing paint on a canvas, I suspect you'd be in less of a rush to decide that I 'lack purpose in life.' A lot of people, perhaps most would find the software that I build boring. Fine by me; it's not rock and roll but for me it's all a beautiful game of chess.

Besides, once you add in the number of hours a lot of people spend commuting and watching television, it's pretty easy to work 12-16 hour days and still find time for friends, family, and other pursuits.

]]> By: Maureen Sharib http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-1660 Maureen Sharib Wed, 08 Nov 2006 14:39:57 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-1660 Though I believe in theory what you say is true I also believe that once you have found what you love to do, you go to it with alacrity - and the long hours fade into moments of pleasure. Wild horses can not keep me from what I do. I've had enough "fun" in my lifetime - I've finally found what true fun is. I would guess to say most entrepreneurs feel this way and many of them "while away" 60 - 100 hours a week "at work". "100?" you ask with surprise. Yeah, 100. Though I believe in theory what you say is true I also believe that once you have found what you love to do, you go to it with alacrity - and the long hours fade into moments of pleasure. Wild horses can not keep me from what I do.

I've had enough "fun" in my lifetime - I've finally found what true fun is. I would guess to say most entrepreneurs feel this way and many of them "while away" 60 - 100 hours a week "at work". "100?" you ask with surprise. Yeah, 100.

]]> By: Penelope Trunk http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-657 Penelope Trunk Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:08:41 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-657 You make the excellent point that asking about a life outside of work is an good way to figure out fast if someone is boyfriend material. You make the excellent point that asking about a life outside of work is an good way to figure out fast if someone is boyfriend material.

]]> By: lnielsenvb http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-656 lnielsenvb Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:56:41 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2005/07/21/the-organization-man-of-the-new-millenium/#comment-656 The flaw in your argument is that people have a life and/or have a purpose in life. Many don't. That's why they need excuses to have their work take up their life, or keep them away from their life. I recently met up with an old college flame and asked, "What do you do for fun in your free time outside of work?" He couldn't answer. Many people need this kind of company. You don't. You are lucky. The flaw in your argument is that people have a life and/or have a purpose in life. Many don't. That's why they need excuses to have their work take up their life, or keep them away from their life. I recently met up with an old college flame and asked, "What do you do for fun in your free time outside of work?" He couldn't answer. Many people need this kind of company. You don't.

You are lucky.

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