Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

wsj.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 300 posts

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#31

Post by badcppdev »

Swizec wrote: post #11

The article talks about top 10% – $175k+/year https://www.investopedia.com/personal-finance/how-much-incom... That’s a fun grey area where you’re making a lot but not a lot . And the path to making more is paved with leverage, not with hours. You absolutely cannot get to the top 1% by just grinding away. I can’t find the study right now, but I remember reading that “work for money” tops out at about $400k. The highes…

Agree 100% ... "You absolutely cannot get to the top 1% by just grinding away"

And if you are grinding away then you might not have the energy and time to create the real opportunity to help yourself.

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#32

Post by synergy20 »

I don't know how to define 'high earning men' in real, but mathematically, earning up to 170K paying 24% tax is a fine spot, after that the tax becomes 32~35%, stretching yourself for decreasing return is not very exciting, why not taking a step back and enjoying life more instead.

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#33

Post by bradleyjg »

sandworm101 wrote: post #12

Key phrase: The top-earning 10% of men in the U.S. labor market. So nowhere near the top 10% of income earners. The real top earners don't do much traditional "work", instead earning money thorough investment and/or family income streams. I would also quibble with the definition of "work", as many activities of top earners would not be considered work by the majority of people. I've been to my fair share of "conferen…

Your quibble is addressed via the word “earning.” Money made via investment or inheritance is unearned.

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#34

Post by [deleted] »

bradleyjg wrote: post #33
sandworm101 wrote: post #12

Key phrase: The top-earning 10% of men in the U.S. labor market. So nowhere near the top 10% of income earners. The real top earners don't do much traditional "work", instead earning money thorough investment and/or family income streams. I would also quibble with the definition of "work", as many activities of top earners would not be considered work by the majority of people. I've been to my fair share of "conferen…

Your quibble is addressed via the word “earning.” Money made via investment or inheritance is unearned.

[deleted]

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#35

Post by chiefalchemist »

leetrout wrote: post #20
mrandish wrote: post #8

> "High-earning men in the 25-to-39 age range who could be described as “workaholics” were pulling back, often by choice" This seems like great news. I know several guys who've recently opted to earn less in exchange for more time off at home with their young kids. They are happier and the kids love it.

I just had this conversation with a potential employer yesterday. I have worked hard at not working so hard (seeing a therapist for life coaching) and I am "guarding my calm" with looking for a job.

I see job postings with "must be able to multitask" and "high intensity environment" and I think the 80s called and it wants its 8 ball of coke back.

It's common knowledge - or should be - multitasking is a productivity loss, not gain. And the last thing the world needs is another headless-chicken culture where working hard and frantic is confused with smart and efficient.

Guard your calm...no one else will.

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#36

Post by kaydub »

I can work harder and take on more responsibility for a $20k-$40k increase in salary.

Or I can take it easy, let some of the team take on some of the load, and make sure I do enough.

Working harder and working for someone doesn't make you rich or wealthy. It can make you comfortable. I'm already comfortable.

The real money is in ownership. So I'll put less hours in working for someone else and keep my mind fresher and more open to opportunities of ownership that may arise.

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#37

Post by Phelinofist »

Swizec wrote: post #11

The article talks about top 10% – $175k+/year https://www.investopedia.com/personal-finance/how-much-incom... That’s a fun grey area where you’re making a lot but not a lot . And the path to making more is paved with leverage, not with hours. You absolutely cannot get to the top 1% by just grinding away. I can’t find the study right now, but I remember reading that “work for money” tops out at about $400k. The highes…

> The highest average income in USA goes to car wash owners.

Is that an euphemism for money laundering (Breaking Bad) or make car wash owners really that much money?

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#39

Post by bilsbie »

greatpostman wrote: post #21

Controversial opinion: Men are concluding that women don’t care about money as much as they used to, and having an amazing career to snag a great woman is no longer the best (or even a good) strategy. In some ways, being a dedicated corporate employee makes you unattractive as a person. I know a lot of guys in their late 20s that think this. And I know a lot of broke bar tenders dating great women. Unless you are mak…

What do women care about instead?

Re: High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

#40

Post by dmitryminkovsky »

luckylion wrote: post #30
dmitryminkovsky wrote: post #17

> That translates to 1.5 hours less time on the job each workweek, or a 3% reduction in hours. A search for “statistically significant” yielded no results. So why am I not to assume, especially given the source, that this is more of that “Americans are lazier and less productive” thing that plays out daily in right-leaning media?

Yeah, those right-leaning media companies and their constant bashing of the checks notes top 10% earners.

Anything to stoke the “culture war”
Post reply on HN