Stress that comes with a 9-5 work week

[MaellaJohn]

I'm assuming most of you guys have, at some point, had a job where you get up every day and go to do work you hate for 8 hours.

I just graduated from high school. I want to raise money to establish a studio, and I need many moarz equipment.
So, I work with my dad doing anything involving houses [from painting to construction to gardening]. I work outside most often. I'm get sun burned to hell, suffer from that, go outside the next day and burn the burn some more.
I feel like I'm in a never-ending cycle of.. well, something that really sucks. The money is nice, but it goes quickly because I pay some of my own bills..

To anybody who has a job as a producer and earns a living mainly from that who has also had a job that they hated a lot, would you say the stress levels differ substantially?

There's a joy and bit of wonder I feel when producing music. I realize that, as a producer, you will work with people you won't like. But surely, something you enjoy doing makes work not seem like work at all, right?

Thoughts?

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I feel like work is always work. You just either like it or you don't. Everything has stuff tagged to it that sucks. My favorite example is ready Oz's drum recording follies hahaha,.

 

[jipchen]

First off, I'm only starting to get into this full time - so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

What I'm currently beginning to realize is that there's a lot more work aside from the main work than you think. Recording, Mixing, etc is all fun and everything, but if you're self employed there is a metric shitton of stuff you have to think of and do.. There's a lot of planning, writing, calculating, answering mails, calling people, reminding people to pay etc. involved than one might think. Listing income and expense, writing and collecting invoices, talking to the tax advisor, fighting to get what you're supposed to from the government / tax offices etc.
Also, you think / worry about everything way more than when you're having a "normal" 8-hour-and-then-goodbye job - at least that's true for me.. When I worked as an EMT and I got home after a shift, I was tired and sometimes exhausted, but you leave (most) of the work related stuff and thoughts at work.. and you can fucking chill out for the rest of the day / night. No need to work at home for 3 hours more etc. From the financial aspect, I worry a lot more now (of course).
Still, I wouldn't want it any other way and I love realizing my dream - but as I said I'm just starting this, maybe I'll want to crawl back into a regular dayjob in a few years
"makes work not seem like work at all" - not so sure about that.. there's always bands / people / music / stuff you won't want to deal with, and that's when the audio work feels as shitty as any other work to me, hehe. Just thing of editing crappy-played guitars for 8 hours straight - that's one of the least satisfying activities ever, haha

 

[MaellaJohn]

Maybe I'm just being really senseless, here.
I think it's just that I haven't actually had much work experience in anything else and what I'm doing now might just be the exact opposite of what I want to be doing..
It's hard labor, I feel disgusting for about 10 hours straight, I feel like I never have enough sleep, and I actually incur physical pain a lot of the time.. migraines, sun burn, etc.
I just answered my general problem. Very good.


Here's something I actually want to discuss though: how do you professional producers feel about doing work?

I've only ever done stuff for my band. Never had any real experience setting stuff up and recording. My guitarist tracks his stuff to midi drums, and I do my vocals some time after, then I just go to town on what we recorded to make something that sounds like a good production.

How do you handle asshole musicians? How often do you get asshole musicians?
What are problem you encounter really often when tracking bands? Stuff like that..

 

[MaellaJohn]

Also, awesome contribution jipchen.
Personally, I'd rather deal with mental stress than physical stress. So, I guess having to sort through a ton of crap seems a lot more appealing to me than feeling like crap all day, except for nights and weekends.

 

[CubanDude]

Ehm.. sunscreen?

 

[MaellaJohn]

Haha.. about sunscreen..

I'm Irish. Naturally pale.
Sun screen just.. makes me feel nasty.
When I plop it on my skin, I feel disgusting.. it's stupid, I realize.

I came to the conclusion that I'll just develop a tan through getting burnt. I'll suffer for a week but after that, I won't get burned or have to rub nasty crap on my arms, face, legs, neck, etc.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Haha.. about sunscreen..

I'm Irish. Naturally pale.
Sun screen just.. makes me feel nasty.
When I plop it on my skin, I feel disgusting.. it's stupid, I realize.
.

No offense but this is one of the most retarded things I've read on this forum.

 

[CubanDude]

Whatever suits you best... Just sayin that it's not necessarily healthy to get your skin burned... And about the job: Well, that's the way things are.. No pain, no gain Be a man and find your way through it

 

[jipchen]

omfg, just wrote this huuge post and then my internet crapped out on me and it got deleted. FFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

In short: My situation was a bit different because I actually liked my "old" job. So I'm seeing the downsides of being self-employed and doing this kind of job pretty clear and it might sound very negative. It shouldn't because I love it

If your current job basically destroys you, I'd get the fuck out.
But: If you do a "real" 8-hours-a-day-5-days-a-week job for the first time in your live - over a longer time than a few weeks like holiday jobs - then you will be extremely exhausted and tired by it in the beginning. I fell asleep the second I was home for about two months.. so did most of the guys I know starting their first proper dayjob. After about one or two months, it got a lot better and at some point I started enjoying it.. before that I felt like the only thing I did was working, eating and sleeping. Mostly working
You get used to it and then you will feel better and subjectively have more time for hobbies etc. But I can only speak for myself, and I thought my job was very interesting even in that starting period and it got more interesting with every day. I don't know about the work you do and your personal interests but I'm not sure it will be the same for you - but you never know
Also: Getting better at something feels good. I guess we all know that, but it's the same with a job: with gained ability and experience, even annoying works will be less annoying. Fun even, perhaps. I guess what I'm trying to say: If you're not doing the current construction job for some time already, wait a little and see if it gets better. If it doesn't, look for something else and if it does, well that's great.

 

[Cheesebone]

I know the feeling dude, although music is much more of a hobby for me than a career (even though I'd jump at the prospect of being a professional musician if I knew it'd pay my bills).

I WISH I had a 9-5... as it is, 60 hours a week for me is pretty much the minimum. If it's busy I'd be at 75-80 hours of legit physical hard labor, PLUS band practice, and any shows we have, which means work the next day is gonna SUCK if the show is any night but Saturday night (because I don't work Sundays).. but at the end of the day, the work funds what I enjoy and I can't complain too much about that.

 

[Habsburgs]

I'll suffer for a week but after that, I won't get burned.

so.. you've been working for less than a week?

edit: use sunscreen

No offense but this is one of the most retarded things I've read on this forum.

+99

 

[MaellaJohn]

No offense but this is one of the most retarded things I've read on this forum.

I know. I admit myself that it's probably one of the most irrational tendencies I've ever seen.. a mild fear of sunscreen? It's actually more of a moderate discomfort with sunscreen, but it's stupid regardless.

Cheesebone, what do you do to work 60 hours minimum?
That's ridiculous. I hope the pay is hefty for all that effort.

 

[MaellaJohn]

so.. you've been working for less than a week?

edit: use sunscreen



+99

I used sunscreen for a while and I hated it. lol..

 

[Cheesebone]

I know. I admit myself that it's probably one of the most irrational tendencies I've ever seen.. a mild fear of sunscreen? It's actually more of a moderate discomfort with sunscreen, but it's stupid regardless.

Cheesebone, what do you do to work 60 hours minimum?
That's ridiculous. I hope the pay is hefty for all that effort.

I'm the lead tech at an auto repair shop that's far too busy for it's own good, lol. And no, the pay isn't what it should be. This will likely be changing here for the better in about a week

But I've been doing this for a while, and honestly, in this business, 50-60 hours a week is pretty normal, so if I can actually find a place with a 9-5 schedule that still keeps my lights on - I'm in!! Hahaha..

 

[ArthurD]

Haha.. about sunscreen..

I'm Irish. Naturally pale.
Sun screen just.. makes me feel nasty.
When I plop it on my skin, I feel disgusting.. it's stupid, I realize.

I came to the conclusion that I'll just develop a tan through getting burnt. I'll suffer for a week but after that, I won't get burned or have to rub nasty crap on my arms, face, legs, neck, etc.

Careful: CANCER

 

[MaellaJohn]

Careful: CANCER

I'm sitting on a leather chair.

Careful: CANCER

 

[P-E]

^ This (well the post before).

Gotta say I lol'd at Tony's reply about the sunscreen.

 

[ArthurD]

Here in Brazil, as a tropical country, there is a right incidence of skin cancer, so we are always advised by doctors to use sunscreen (but, what the hell, it's disgusting, we don't use).
A cold day is about 64 F.
A hot day is 102~106 F.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Dude, skin cancer is no joke, my Mom has had like 3 operations to remove skin cancer blotches, don't fuck around with that