tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post2702500103851630022..comments2024-02-05T05:15:04.759-08:00Comments on Wandering Scientist: Weekend Reading: The Back to Work EditionCloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-47642554309213755692012-01-07T23:17:03.340-08:002012-01-07T23:17:03.340-08:00@Anonymous, most techies I know feel similarly, an...@Anonymous, most techies I know feel similarly, and I get the same absorption into work when I'm working on a techie problem as when I'm working on a science problem.<br /><br />I'm sure there are lots of other professions in which people feel an internal drive to solve or finish something, which has nothing to do with external deadlines.<br /><br />The question for me is- when does that focus actually become counterproductive? I can keep working because I want to figure out a bug (or, back when I was in the wet lab, finish an experiment)- but that doesn't mean I'm actually doing something useful. Sometimes, it takes walking away for awhile to see the cause of the bug, or figure out the flaw in your experimental design.<br /><br />It is really clear to me now that I need to manage that obsessive focus that I can getCloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-10346095623720905892012-01-07T22:05:01.851-08:002012-01-07T22:05:01.851-08:00I think a prime difference between science and a l...I think a prime difference between science and a lot of other professions is that for us scientists, our work is something we really love, and want to do. Most days we wake up in the morning, and can't wait to get to work. Most days we stay up working late at night, not because we have to to finish up something, but because we want to know the answer to such and such problem or how such and such works. We have no Monday morning blues because mostly we can't wait to get to work on Mondays. <br /><br />In this context, the development of the culture of machismo about putting in long hours at the lab does make sense. Let me clarify that I don't support such a culture; doing science is about joy and excitement, and forcing someone to work long hours due to peer pressure is sure to take the joy out of them. <br /><br />But on the other hand, how many professions can boast of such excitement?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-57407289090404599602012-01-07T09:08:06.209-08:002012-01-07T09:08:06.209-08:00I like to point out that money not spent is also i...I like to point out that money not spent is also income. If you can do it yourself for little or no money, and don't have to pay someone else to do it, then you have a skill worth money.<br /><br />I make good money in tech, but my highest hourly rate is earned in DIY financial planning. I sit down with my quarterly statements, Quicken and some pen and paper. I calculate my asset allocation, compare it with my target asset allocation, and plot how to get the two lines to cross. <br /><br />Many firms charge 1% of the account balance to do this. (Or charge 1% above plain vanilla mutual funds.) DIY for a million dollar portfolio and you have earned yourself $10,000 for about 10 hours of work per year.<br /><br />OK, it also means reading the business pages and keeping abreast of world developments. But I am a curious person and would have done that anyway.<br /><br />Your assets are not strictly financial. Your friends don't show up on a balance sheet, but you can help each other over rough spots. When I was ill and my husband was away on travel, no fewer than 3 families on my block babysat my toddler so I could get some rest. When I was breastfeeding and needed to travel to attend work meetings, I stayed with friends who, not only provided a guest room, but babysat while I worked.<br /><br />You can live on so much less money if you are adept at running a household yourself--cooking, cleaning, sewing, maintenance, gardening, etc.<br /><br />The less you spend today, the less you've trained yourself to live on during lean times and retirement.badmomgoodmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11569728075698885020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-68086934507866097992012-01-07T06:26:35.866-08:002012-01-07T06:26:35.866-08:00The career-marathon metaphor is a really important...The career-marathon metaphor is a really important one because it puts everything into perspective. I hope and plan to have a career that lasts 40 years or so. So if I have to slow down to have a couple of kids - that's slowing down for 3-5 years, slowing down not stopping. So I'm still "producing" just not at a frenetic rate. *Everyone* has slow years and fast years. No one, no matter how wealthy, childfree, unencumbered, happy, and perfectly healthy they might be. Creativity and productivity are cyclical, and everyone goes through down times for a variety of reasons - natural biorhythms, illness, relationship absorption (coming together or breaking apart), death of a loved one, trauma, burn out. If we recognized that everyone experiences these cycles, maybe as a society we could ease the eff up on working mothers (as a "drain" on the workforce).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-32661576288322528692012-01-06T20:49:46.944-08:002012-01-06T20:49:46.944-08:00Thanks for the link! Woot!
I've been thinki...Thanks for the link! Woot! <br /><br />I've been thinking a lot about income diversification recently as well (it's a frequent topic on iwillteachyoutoberich.com which I started reading a couple of months ago.) <br /><br />YES++ to diversifying where you get your self-worth. I sort of keep a running tally in my head to maintain balance - like "today I was a great mom, but not so great at getting any crafty stuff done", or "today I was great at work, but didn't see hubby or daughter before they went to bed", stuff like that to keep all areas in check. It's really a good way to feel like I'm contributing something, somewhere, on any given day. Of course there are those days where none of it is good ;)<br /><br />Re: the culture of long hours - we see this in tech companies as well, though less when the workforce gets older and has kids and families to go home to. But there is this badge of honor for pulling an all-nighter or whatnot, that is VERY offputting if you don't want to make your work your whole life. <br /><br />I'm definitely starting to see less of that in my company, though it really depends on the group.<br /><br />Which gives me an idea for a post... Thanks Cloud, your blog inspires me :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15212690454989568626noreply@blogger.com