Work-Life Balance in Spain
Talk about hours, overtime, switching off and asking for time back, the way Spaniards do.
Spanish work life has its own vocabulary: "horario partido" with a long lunch break, "jornada intensiva" in summer, "fichar" because clocking in is required by law, and "conciliar" for balancing work and family. People are open about being "quemado" and about protecting lunch and weekends. The cards follow a week at an engineering firm in Bilbao and drinks with a friend.
- 1
Normalmente desconecto sobre las seis.
I usually log off around six.
- 2
A partir de ahí no miro el correo.
From then on, I don't check email.
- 3
Últimamente estoy haciendo muchas horas extra.
I've been doing a lot of overtime lately.
- 4
Estoy quemadísimo, no puedo más.
I'm totally burnt out, I can't take any more.
- 5
En verano hacemos jornada intensiva, hasta las tres.
In summer we work straight through, until three.
- 6
¿Tienes horario partido o continuo?
Do you work split hours or straight through?
- 7
Los fines de semana necesito desconectar del todo.
At weekends I need to switch off completely.
- 8
Cuesta mucho conciliar el trabajo con la familia.
It's really hard to balance work and family.
- 9
He pedido reducción de jornada para recoger a los niños.
I've asked for reduced hours to pick up the kids.
- 10
No te olvides de fichar al salir.
Don't forget to clock out when you leave.
- 11
Mi jefe me escribe a las once de la noche.
My boss messages me at eleven at night.
- 12
He decidido poner límites.
I've decided to set boundaries.
- 13
Todos los días me llevo trabajo a casa.
I take work home with me every day.
- 14
Para mí la hora de comer es sagrada.
For me, lunchtime is sacred.
- 15
Déjalo para mañana, que no corre prisa.
Leave it for tomorrow, there's no rush.
- 16
Deberías cogerte unos días libres.
You should take a few days off.
- 17
Este fin de semana estoy de guardia.
This weekend I'm on call.
- 18
A partir de las nueve tengo el móvil en silencio.
From nine on, my phone's on silent.
- 19
Se trabaja para vivir, no se vive para trabajar.
You work to live, you don't live to work.
- 20
El año pasado estuve de baja por estrés.
Last year I was off sick with stress.