About 14 years into my career I got stuck on one project, out of control, working sixty to seventy hours a week. Salaried, no overtime. That went on for about seven months, I was miserable. I had a one year old child, she was miserable, my wife was miserable. I was at my wits end. I spoke to my supervisor at the time, and he understood, but told me it was only going to get worse, so I found a new job.

I have made the commitment to myself, from that time, that I only work 40 hours a week. I'll occasionally work a little overtime if I am on a roll on something interesting, or if there is a short term panic at work, but very infrequently, and never, ever, more than fifty hours in a week.

I make that clear when I interview, and I will admit that on individual jobs that has been a deal breaker, but those were the small minority of interviews.

The twenty four years since then have all been good. Four different employers, all in embedded development, all interesting challenges.