Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.
In a nick of time..
Published on April 22, 2005 By Draginol In Vacations

When I was 23, I could work 80 hours a week for years on end. Now I'm 33 and I can definitely feel the hours wearing.  In March, according to my daily planner, I worked 256 hours. There were 23 official work days in March so that comes out to about 11 hours per day.  Of course, I don't usually work 11 hours per day. Instead, I work more days per week (typically 6 days per week).

But still, working 55 to 60 hours per week over the course of months and months will wear a person down and I feel worn down. The first thing that goes is concentration.  I was increasingly finding it difficult to spend too many hours at the office because I had trouble concentrating there.  People will come to my office, very often, to let me know what's happening. Usually it's info that could have been IM'd or emailed but when you're there in person, there is a tendancy to just want to walk over and tell them.

When I'm rested, I can be interupted and get back to concentrating quite quickly. But lately, when I get interupted I'm basically tapped for quite awhile. I can't "force" myself back into "the zone".  So I'd just end up coming home and working from there. 

So in a couple hours we're heading out on vacation. We're going to Disney World. My wife, two children, and I are flying out in a little while. Disney's not my favorite destination but when you have two small children, your options are a bit more limited and it's still pretty fun. With Animal Kingdom and MGM and other nearby things as well as the usual Magic Kingdom stuff, it should still be a blast.

Of course, I'll still have the laptop with me to handle key things (when you run a company you're never completely disconnected) and put out fires. But it'll still be good to get away from things for a week.  Then when I get back, I can focus on getting ready for E3.  Because holy cow, May is going to be insane!

I'll see you all in about a week.


Comments
on Apr 22, 2005
Enjoy your vacation
on Apr 22, 2005
I know exactly where you are coming from...to much 'yak' during an office visit...IM or email...gets the job done...
Even better is the vacation with the family...if you can call it a vacation...what with the laptop ball and chain...
Have a great time with the kids and of course the better half
on Apr 22, 2005
Safe passage and safe return for you and family.
on Apr 22, 2005
Have a wonderful time!
on Apr 22, 2005
Have a great time and relax! God bless!
on Apr 22, 2005
LMAO... it speaks for how i skim titles and my frame of mind. I would have swore this said "Vatican Bound". I was like, Jeez, Brad, first Stardock, next all Christendom. Stop and smell the roses a bit...

Have a good vacation.

on Apr 22, 2005
Hey, you are coming where I live. Come and have a drink with me.

on Apr 22, 2005
Have a great vacation.
I should take one, one of these days.
on Apr 23, 2005
You can never go wrong with Disney World. I don't care how old you are. As long as the children are old enough that you don't get stuck riding Dumbo over and over, there's plenty that you all can enjoy.

Though I do think bringing along the laptop takes some of the "vacation" out of it. You hired employees that are good enough to go a week without your intervention, didn't you? Let them handle things for a while.
on Apr 24, 2005
I wish I were going to Disney. I love it. I need to go back again because I didn't take enough pictures to scrapbook. Maybe next year. Have fun! Get the boys the little penny press albums and let them collect the pennies from all the parks. My boys loved it. It was fun hunting all the machines down. Have fun and enjoy your vacation! We will be expecting to see pictures of the gang with mouse ears in a week.
on Apr 24, 2005
"When I was 23, I could work 80 hours a week for years on end. Now I'm 33 and I can definitely feel the hours wearing."

It's not the years, It's the mileage.
on Apr 24, 2005
You got it down as how to be financially successful. The trick is don't be afraid to put in long hours. You will get a double return for putting in as little as 2 extra hours a week. Of course you must work smart also. other rules for success are:

Get educated on what you are trying to accomplish.

Stay healthy. Which means eat right, get enough sleep, exercise and clean living.

Always put in a big effort. Drive yourself hard.

Persevere, and never quit.

Never let unexpected obstacles stop you. learn to get over lifes hurdles.



on Apr 29, 2005
Making rich men richer. It's a hopeless situation for most people. We only get one life and we work it away. That's why I gave up working for other people.