Quality of Life: What are you making per hour?

A lot of people in our soceity are most concerned with their salary. They use this number to gauge where they are in life and how successful they are in their jobs. The other day I saw a show about wall street investment analysts. These were just a bunch of guys in the 20's and they were dreaming about the ultimate life, they collectively agreed that $500,000 would make them ultimately successful.

These young men need to focus on what is really important. Life is not about money, it's more about happiness and fulfillment. What would you pay for your health? If you had a heart attack or terminal illness while still young. What would you trade to make this go away?

Many aspects of health relate to our happiness and well-being. To put things in perspective, I offer the concept of what you are making per hour and I will use a medical example.

In my profession, many physicians are making very high salaries, but may be working 80 hours a week to achieve this level of income. However, if you talk with many of these individuals they are overworked, stressed, and not getting enough sleep.

For example, the one physician could be working for a for a public health or government agency. Here, let's assume the physician is actually working 40 hours a week, all the holidays included, and making a decent salary of $150,000 per year. Specialists may work out simliar deals at an HMO and internists could get a similar deal as a physician just covering in hospital patients, for example.

The high-paid physician may have the highest status and an expensive house or care, but she may be trading her health for her work. Also, do the math. Take their yearly salaries, assume that each physician works 50 weeks per year x their hours per week and divide. Assume the specialist is making 300k per year for 80 hrs, and the public health physican 150k for 40 hrs. (300000/4000; 150000/2000). In both of these situations the physicans are making $75/hour.

The second physician here could always moonlight for extra money, but let's hope that this physician devotes some time to exercise, good eating, yoga/meditation, resistance training, and family to get more out of life.

Another example, how child care can relate to your hourly wage. If a parent goes back to work and makes $25 an hour and then spends $12 and hour on childcare, the parent is actually taking home $13 an hour. Nowsubtract the $6-8 bucks an hour for taxes and they are making $5-$7 an hour. Is the $5 an hour really contributing to their wealth and happiness? They could be home with their kids and doing stroller stride and improving their health at the same time.

This is food for thought. Consider your hourly rate. If you divide your actual hours by your yearly salary and bonus and you may be making less than you thought and it may be hurting your health!