What?

First off I am not talking about working your full time corporate job all while taking on hourly/contract or even part-time work at your local Kohl’s. No. I am talking about working one job and receiving, in your mind a salary, but in reality you are just getting an hourly wage.

Whether you’re exempt or non-exempt, we have all become hourly employees

The answer to the ‘HOW’ is so simple. Ready… Ready… you sure? Ready to hear the answer… here it goes:

Work 70 Hours a week.

That’s right. Work 70 hours a week and that’s the difference between roughly 34 bucks an hour (40 hrs) and 17$. “But Ben, I would never do that!” Ooooh... That’s what you say.

Many of you are doing it now. Throw out the misguided idea of work-life im-balance balance. Dump your misconception of “I am making this $$ a year.” Think outside the box. I am sure you are already saying “no way”. Here’s how you are doing it and how it adds up.

• 1hr = When you get up in the morning and after you clean up, first thing you do is check email from work, colleagues and vendors.
• 8hrs = You work at the gig.
• 1hr = You don’t go out for lunch, instead you catch up on stuff.
• 2hr (at least) = After you get home your working on it.
• Now multiply all that 6X. Because in reality you have so much of a connection between your personal and professional life, contacts and colleagues that you even take it home over the weekends.

Grand estimated total/average result: (1 + 8 + 1 + 2 hrs) X 6 days= 72 hrs a week. This is all before you take out how much you are losing to taxes, benefits, etc.

Question is: Is it all worth it?

First off 65K is a great salary for most people. As stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average American worker only makes around 34K a year and that's a long shot. I would venture to say it is closer to 25k. So if you are making 65K a year woo haa for you. That’s still better than the average American worker makes. But does the above scenario and equation fit your situation?

At the same time you have to ask yourself, is the amount of time you are putting in worth it? Is it worth the time? Am I adding value, getting something out of it or am I just working harder and not smarter.

It’s so common… But like Trish McFarlane has asked… have we all been brain washed. Don’t question the hours. Don’t question the salary. Question your own sanity!

What are your thoughts? Do you enjoy what you do so much that you can’t get away or are you falling victim and can’t get away?

Connect: http://ReThinkHR.org
Twitter: @BenjaminMcCall