Comment by jac_no_k | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jac_no_k | Hacker News Reader

I find myself in a mentoring position to interns at my day job. They are very talented and have no big responsibilities like a family or kids. If I was their age, I wish someone told me how frustrating it is to have not tried my hand at being an entrepreneur.

Do I tell these interns the frustration I feel and that they should think long and hard about whether they want to join to big corporate world? The big multi-nationals offer good compensation and is relatively secure. However, I wonder if they will eventually start feeling frustration down the years and start thinking the same thoughts as I am now?

Anyways I've chosen my path. I have a family that depends on my stable income, I realize how important is for a parent to BE a parent, and accepted that I no longer have the energy to work three jobs. (day job, family, plan B) I'm trying to bring up the kids to live the life I wish I had...

But it doesn't mean I've given up on 'plan B'. I'm sure as the kids get older, I would find myself with more time. Just need to stave off the burnout by not trying to do too much.

I read DHH awhile ago and he mentioned only working 2 hrs a day (and not even everyday on your side project). I think most people even if they're octomom if they plan and schedule well enough could probably find 2 hrs a day (early in the morning or late at night) to squeeze in some work.

There's no requirement that it has to be an extra 6 or 8 hr marathon everyday for 6 months or year, etc.

For most people though, I imagine that it is hard to make sure that those 2 hours are ultra productive and that you are actually accomplishing what you set out to do.

I agree. The problem I'm having is juggling the three elements of day job, family service, and plan B. Day job eats up over 12 hours of my day (include prep + commute). Then the family service thing goes on for at least 4 hours, usually more with the clean up miscellaneous house things. The majority of the days, I find my important duties finally ends around 11pm, on most weekdays. Exceptions are like yesterday where late night day job phone conferences has me up past midnight. Weekends, you can replace the time with the day job with family service. I think this is where as the kids grow older and more independent, I can reap back some time for plan B.

I just can't help but wonder how different my life would have been if I pursued doing my own thing more aggressively 10 years ago. Ten years ago was four years before the wife and I wanted to have kids, the wife was working making good income, a time where I could have gone balls out. m'eh, enough dwelling on the pasts what-ifs.

Day job and family duties calls! I'm off to the (rat) races!

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