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I just don’t want to be busy anymore

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Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#141

Post by caminante »

nly wrote: post #136
sillysaurusx wrote: post #109

One thing that helped me is not to care so much about my employer's goals. It's almost heretical. But once you embrace this mindset, it does wonders. Or at least, it has for me so far. I think a lot of us want to be proud of the work we do, and we feel that if we slack off, then we shouldn't be proud. But it's the other way around. I think the slackers have it right. You're probably not going to get rich from working…

I have recently jumped ship from an employer of 3 years after adopting a similar attitude. New Job will pay me double and as such will help me achieve my goals. Old Company said if I stayed I could achieve a 25% increase in TC if I continued to work on "impactful projects" for 2 years or so. But those projects are the ones I hated there (otherwise a great company) I've seen first hand when developers leave how all th…

>Old Company said if I stayed I could achieve a 25% increase [within 2 years]

For existing employees, this is rather high, but as you did, you should discount this. To get that boost with your current employer, you need to (i) be irreplaceable for a critical service; or (ii) show proof of external offers.

HR/Finance will sets wages at low-mid market so that the 10 other high performing/underpaid employees in your situation will stay and only you will leave. HR's fine with that bet, and people with initiative like you are the victors.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#142

Post by efitz »

I wonder if there are any HR types monitoring this thread. If so, I wonder what they will bring back to the companies that they work for.

I voluntarily participate in an employment contract. I like what I do and am good at it. I could work harder but I work what I consider a “fair” amount. Many weeks that is less than 40 hours of my time but sometimes it’s more - if there is an emergency or a crunch time for a reasonable goal, esp if the goal date is not arbitrary.

I really don’t like the idea expressed in some threads here that “I should stop caring about my employer’s goals”. If you don’t care about their goals, then the ethical decision is to quit. They’re not asking you to compromise your principles; they’re offering to pay you in exchange for supporting their goals.

I think a lot of the ideas on this topic are a little bit muddled. If your employer sets unreasonable goals then you’re not doing you or them a favor by trying to meet (much less actually meeting) those goals. If they try unreasonable shit and it works then they will keep on doing unreasonable shit until it bites them, and make everyone miserable in the process.

But not killing myself to meet the unreasonable goal my manager agreed to is not the same as just slacking off all the time. I’m a professional and consider myself ethical and I don’t see a huge ethical difference between stealing and accepting pay for work I didn’t do.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#143

Post by chitowneats »

sillysaurusx wrote: post #109

One thing that helped me is not to care so much about my employer's goals. It's almost heretical. But once you embrace this mindset, it does wonders. Or at least, it has for me so far. I think a lot of us want to be proud of the work we do, and we feel that if we slack off, then we shouldn't be proud. But it's the other way around. I think the slackers have it right. You're probably not going to get rich from working…

Just know that we see you. We understand that this is your mentality. That's why we don't promote you, that's why we don't hire you, etc.

Saying yes to everything some random PM wants from you is of course not the way. But neither is "lying flat". Hard work is in many ways its own reward.

After decades in the industry, those that have put in the time and effort far outshine their coasting peers. There are benefits for your career should you choose to put in the effort and ascend.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#144

Post by knightofmars »

dreyfan wrote: post #135
sillysaurusx wrote: post #109

One thing that helped me is not to care so much about my employer's goals. It's almost heretical. But once you embrace this mindset, it does wonders. Or at least, it has for me so far. I think a lot of us want to be proud of the work we do, and we feel that if we slack off, then we shouldn't be proud. But it's the other way around. I think the slackers have it right. You're probably not going to get rich from working…

This attitude works at random jobs where you’re replaceable, absolutely. However if you’re a meaningful part of an early team with equity, this is quite literally how you can indeed get rich.

This was how you could get rich. Maybe I'm overly cynical, but I feel that these days VC and founders know all the right tricks to play to remove value from the contributors and reallocate it to the investors.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#145

Post by lkschubert8 »

dreyfan wrote: post #135
sillysaurusx wrote: post #109

One thing that helped me is not to care so much about my employer's goals. It's almost heretical. But once you embrace this mindset, it does wonders. Or at least, it has for me so far. I think a lot of us want to be proud of the work we do, and we feel that if we slack off, then we shouldn't be proud. But it's the other way around. I think the slackers have it right. You're probably not going to get rich from working…

This attitude works at random jobs where you’re replaceable, absolutely. However if you’re a meaningful part of an early team with equity, this is quite literally how you can indeed get rich.

Honest question, is there any evidence that the effort of the early engineering team of a startup has a strong relationship with a high value exit?

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#146

Post by tmaly »

>1st: I figured out what I wanted and wrote them down so I’m not lost again

I think this is one of the hardest things to figure out in life. I think it is one of the major philosophical questions.

I wish I could say I knew the answer, but I am still trying to find an answer.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#147

Post by sillysaurusx »

chitowneats wrote: post #143
sillysaurusx wrote: post #109

One thing that helped me is not to care so much about my employer's goals. It's almost heretical. But once you embrace this mindset, it does wonders. Or at least, it has for me so far. I think a lot of us want to be proud of the work we do, and we feel that if we slack off, then we shouldn't be proud. But it's the other way around. I think the slackers have it right. You're probably not going to get rich from working…

Just know that we see you. We understand that this is your mentality. That's why we don't promote you, that's why we don't hire you, etc. Saying yes to everything some random PM wants from you is of course not the way. But neither is "lying flat". Hard work is in many ways its own reward. After decades in the industry, those that have put in the time and effort far outshine their coasting peers. There are benefits fo…

This doesn’t mean no effort. This means putting effort into saying no.

There’s a difference, and school (and parents) don’t teach us the distinction.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#148

Post by chitowneats »

sillysaurusx wrote: post #147
chitowneats wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just know that we see you. We understand that this is your mentality. That's why we don't promote you, that's why we don't hire you, etc. Saying yes to everything some random PM wants from you is of course not the way. But neither is "lying flat". Hard work is in many ways its own reward. After decades in the industry, those that have put in the time and effort far outshine their coasting peers. There are benefits fo…

This doesn’t mean no effort. This means putting effort into saying no. There’s a difference, and school (and parents) don’t teach us the distinction.

Saying no is easy once you get passed the initial mental block. Let's not pretend otherwise.

It's certainly easier than doing the work. That's the entire premise of your argument.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#149

Post by bumby »

bonniemuffin wrote: post #95
bumby wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never really made the connection before listening to a recent podcast with an expert on serotonin and dopamine, but do you think this is a natural effect of declining dopamine? Online searching seems to indicate dopamine declines with age and is also responsible for taking risks and motivation for both short and long term goal attainment

Is there any action you can take based on this knowledge to change your outcome, or is it simply an unavoidable part of aging?

I don’t really know much on the topic honestly. There are the usual natural ways to increase dopamine like exercise, getting sunlight, and reducing obesity. There are supplements that supposedly help like vitamin D and magnesium. Then there are drugs that act as dopamine agonists. Where these all fall in terms of efficacy I have no idea.

Re: I just don’t want to be busy anymore

#150

Post by bluefirebrand »

knightofmars wrote: post #144
dreyfan wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This attitude works at random jobs where you’re replaceable, absolutely. However if you’re a meaningful part of an early team with equity, this is quite literally how you can indeed get rich.

This was how you could get rich. Maybe I'm overly cynical, but I feel that these days VC and founders know all the right tricks to play to remove value from the contributors and reallocate it to the investors.

Yeah, staff does not get big payouts anymore because investors want that money. If you're a founder you might get rich
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