"You Work Too Hard!"

[Shane]

Folks, I hear it all the time. I show up to work at 6:30, and don't really need to be there until 7:45. I'm making copy after copy for the kids, arranging the room for the day's lessons, getting things set up for chorus rehearsal...and the teaching day itself sees me drenched in sweat afterward, hair mussed up. I walk out of work feeling completely exhausted, but in the best possible way. There's really nothing else I'd rather do. Some people have told me, though, that ubiquitous quip of "You work too hard!"

I'm trying to incorporate better eating habits and exercise into my life. I relax more, I get out of doors more often now. I guess when I'm at work...I just lay it all out there.

The thing is...I don't know how to respond to people who say this to me. What can I say? Does anyone on the forum have people say this to them? What do you say to them when they do?

 

[RichGem]

Depending on your mood:

a) Well, I really enjoy my job/the kids

or

b) Not really, it just looks that way b/c you don't work hard enough.

 

[Gaston]

The thing is...I don't know how to respond to people who say this to me. What can I say?

I looked over the top of my reading glasses at them and said "You're late!"

 

[azmark]

There are three types of people in the world; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who ask how it happened.

Just ask them where they stand.

And IMO, there is no such thing as you are working too hard. There is always someone working harder than you. Keep up the good fight.

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

It's really not work if it's something you truly enjoy doing.

 

[TheShaun]

No such thing as working too hard..... in fact you're not working hard enough!

In all seriousness, I'm a big fan of hard work. It pays off, and it gets noticed by the right people. It also gets notice by the people you're making look bad.

 

[Edcculus]

I work to live, not live to work. Work helps me pay the bills so I can afford my apartment, hobbies and enjoy my free time. If whatever is on my desk isn't done by 5:00...oh well, its still going to be there tomorrow (unfortunately). Work sucks. Why was I ever in a rush to graduate?

 

[ajkimmins]

Do you feel like you work too hard?

I just wish there were more teachers like you. I wish we could actually make that a priority, imagine, smart people in twenty years!!

 

[Stubblefield]

The thing is...I don't know how to respond to people who say this to me. What can I say? Does anyone on the forum have people say this to them? What do you say to them when they do?

I hear it all the time . . . because I have the same job as you.

I say "thank you."

 

[bookamatches]

Just tell them: Well, I'm not a ***** like you, you freakin' slacker.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

My wife hears it all the time from me. She is in the same profession as you, and she approaches it the same way. I applaud her for her work M-F, but I just wish she didn't do so much prep work on the weekends so we could have some quality family time. Still, though, I have to admire the dedication and hard work.

Hats off to our dedicated and hard working educators!

 

[Obsessed]

Well, I really enjoy my job/the kids

That sounds good to me. The people who tell you you're working too hard are either (a) just making an offhand remark without thinking, in which case you should treat it as such, (b) concerned about your well being, in which case you shouldn't antagonize them, or (c) afraid you'll make them look bad, in which case you shouldn't engage them.

By the way, as a parent, it's heartening to hear of a teacher with your level of dedication. Just don't drive yourself to an early grave in the process.

 

[Topgumby]

When people tell me I'm working to hard, I point out there is a huge waiting list of guys eager to take my place holding the girl's costumes during changes backstage at the strip club.

It's only one hundred dollars a week, but it's all I can afford.

 

[ajkimmins]

When people tell me I'm working to hard, I point out there is a huge waiting list of guys eager to take my place holding the girl's costumes during changes backstage at the strip club.

It's only one hundred dollars a week, but it's all I can afford.

Where

Do

I

Sign

Up????

 

[TimmyBoston]

Folks, I hear it all the time. I show up to work at 6:30, and don't really need to be there until 7:45. I'm making copy after copy for the kids, arranging the room for the day's lessons, getting things set up for chorus rehearsal...and the teaching day itself sees me drenched in sweat afterward, hair mussed up. I walk out of work feeling completely exhausted, but in the best possible way. There's really nothing else I'd rather do. Some people have told me, though, that ubiquitous quip of "You work too hard!"

I'm trying to incorporate better eating habits and exercise into my life. I relax more, I get out of doors more often now. I guess when I'm at work...I just lay it all out there.

The thing is...I don't know how to respond to people who say this to me. What can I say? Does anyone on the forum have people say this to them? What do you say to them when they do?

We need more teachers like you.


As to what to say, don't say a word. Just smile and nod non-committally, may add a self deprecating shrug. You are under no obligation to explain and there is no reason to explain, anyone who asks wouldn't understand.

 

[JPM]

When people tell me I'm working to hard, I point out there is a huge waiting list of guys eager to take my place holding the girl's costumes during changes backstage at the strip club.

It's only one hundred dollars a week, but it's all I can afford.

Seriously though, if you enjoy what you do, just tell them that. As long as you have a life outside of work, how hard you work is nobody elses business.

 

[Confuzius]

I work to live, not live to work. Work helps me pay the bills so I can afford my apartment, hobbies and enjoy my free time. If whatever is on my desk isn't done by 5:00...oh well, its still going to be there tomorrow (unfortunately). Work sucks. Why was I ever in a rush to graduate?

I read somthing recently about how different generations view work:

People born before the Great Depression are very loyal and stayed with the same company for 40-50 years.

Builders, those born from the Great Depression to the mid 1940s, viewed a career as a way to make a living and take care of their families.

Baby Boomers, born from 1945-1965, saw career as the central focus of life; their work defines them.

Busters, those born from 1965-1985, see work as an irritant. It distracts them from what they want to do. Work is a necessary evil.

Millennials, the latest generation, born between 1985-2005, view work as a place to serve.

That's me too, although I may just have not found the right job yet...

 

[Confilo]

"Someone needs to make up for the slackers"

 

[tg16]

Folks, I hear it all the time. I show up to work at 6:30, and don't really need to be there until 7:45. I'm making copy after copy for the kids, arranging the room for the day's lessons, getting things set up for chorus rehearsal...and the teaching day itself sees me drenched in sweat afterward, hair mussed up. I walk out of work feeling completely exhausted, but in the best possible way. There's really nothing else I'd rather do. Some people have told me, though, that ubiquitous quip of "You work too hard!"

I'm trying to incorporate better eating habits and exercise into my life. I relax more, I get out of doors more often now. I guess when I'm at work...I just lay it all out there.

The thing is...I don't know how to respond to people who say this to me. What can I say? Does anyone on the forum have people say this to them? What do you say to them when they do?

Smile and in a very nice voice say, "Oh (insert name of person) if I want garbage out of you, I'll squeeze your head."

 

[cdenton]

I'd say. Thanks. Hard work is the American way.