Balance your job for the long term from the beginning

Back in highschool, I used to run cross country. One of my first races, I started too fast, took the lead early, but I didn't have enough energy to complete the race along side the other runners. Later in life, I had a job, where I initially put in a lot of time, energy and passion, but I didn't have enough energy to keep up the pace over the months and years.

It's important to plan for the long term, and set expectations (for both you and your employer) at reasonable levels. Going gangbusters with the hope that things will level off is not a great solution. I remember temping for the job mentioned above. I wanted to work for this company so badly that I was putting in 50-60 hour weeks. I charged by the day, so I would only have to really charge the company for 40 hours a week. On top of this I was commuting 2 hours each way. The company eventually hired me on, and I found the cheapest place I could to rent, but I was still going gangbusters almost 2 years later. Human resources started asking me to report overtime. The top boss kept saying not to "work" over 40 hours. Some of the people whom I assisted wanted to know why I "couldn't work" 12 hours a day, anymore. I'd sneak into the office on weekends to catch up on work, but I couldn't meet the expectations I had set for myself to achieve, as I wasn't achieving these expectations within the allowed parameters. At this time, my personal life fell apart. My car was sideswiped in a hit and run. I couldn't afford rent. So, in not my proudest moment, I quit and went home.

Let's be honest. A 60 hour week is pretty standard these days, but a company needs to provide you the resources you need to succeed in life. While I loved my job, I couldn't figure out how to afford a place to live or transportation to work. I had not negotiated the correct terms for myself in advance. While many employers see this as not their problem, it reduces the efficiency of the workforce. Therefore, it is your (and my) job as the employee to negotiate the best offer available when taking on employment.

When starting work, keep a win-win attitude, but make sure both your expectations and the employers are on the table. Do not compromise in advance, such as reducing your asking price. Put your needs on the table, and don't feel bad about pushing back. Make sure you understand the company's needs. If a company is hiring you for your vehicle, your education or where you live, these costs need to be factored into what the company pays you. Your new company would not sell its products below operating costs, neither should you sell yourself below your costs.

Good negotiation is like preparing for a race. Eat a lot of pasta two days before, make sure you get enough sleep, and have a plan for your race pace. You can't finish the race or do a great job, if you don't have enough gas to get to the end.