I work for a consulantancy/contracting firm so right now, my billable time to a client has a direct effect on our bottom line, but in my previous job there was no overtime and we were expected to perform 25-7-365. The pace I was working eventually lead to a burn out, at which point I decided to switch jobs. For me that type of demand and pressure was not worth the price I paid. The changing point was when the CEO made promises on timelines without consulting us and expected us to just work weekends and late nights to keep the unreasonable deadlines. Bottom line, your time is precious and I would rather spend mine with my family than in front of a PC screen. When overtime becomes the norm, then planning was an issue; and as Jeff Modem rightly asks "Why should your lack of planning affect me?". Truthfully, I'm a much happier person in general now, the new company is family-orientated, and my personal time is respected. Overtime is the exception and not the rule.