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High-Earning Men Are Cutting Back on Their Working Hours

wsj.com

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

#41

Post by sillysaurusx »

tsunamifury wrote: post #25

Many men discovered over the course of the pandemic how much they actually loved spending time with their family and how unrewarding office life is. Unfortunately the powers that be have decided that this realization is incompatible with how the economy is set up to work, commuting office space work lunches and dinners etc. and so back to the office we will be forced to go.

So don't go! We have the power.

I know it's easier said than done, but anyone who has the means to do it should try.

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

#43

Post by ren_engineer »

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.

the last sentence of the article hints at the real reason it was written in the first place:

>But as staff cut back their hours, it costs medical organizations money

it's just companies screeching that they are making less money because salaried employees are doing less unpaid work. I think the pandemic had a large effect on people in terms of

1. Having to face potential mortality much earlier than expected and thus putting lower priority on long term career stuff

2. Gave lots of people a glimpse of how much they miss out on due to commuting and being in office when in reality they can do most of their work from home and get benefits like more time with family, more time for hobbies, etc.

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

#44

Post by chiefalchemist »

tsunamifury wrote: post #25

Many men discovered over the course of the pandemic how much they actually loved spending time with their family and how unrewarding office life is. Unfortunately the powers that be have decided that this realization is incompatible with how the economy is set up to work, commuting office space work lunches and dinners etc. and so back to the office we will be forced to go.

Women have done the same. The dirty little secret of the current "labor shortage" is that the worker bees are no longer willing to over do it, for the same pay.

The commitment to work is still there, but now more and more have reasonable boundaries.

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

#45

Post by throwaway98797 »

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…

broke bar tenders have always been cool

next penny-less musicians doing well too??

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

#46

Post by collyw »

chiefalchemist wrote: post #35
leetrout wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I am so glad the trend of bragging about multitasking from a decade or two ago has died out. I can't think of a bigger productivity killer that constantly context switching. I just quit a job and a lot of it was down to that, the system was so buggy that I could never focus for long before something broke and needed looking at.

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

#47

Post by sandworm101 »

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.

>> Money made via investment or inheritance is unearned.

I think a great many startup founders might feel that their stock-related income is "earned", especially those who don't pay themselves much of a salary in early years. And every actor/singer/songwriter earning passive income from past artistic works. So too every homeowner or pensioner taking money without actually clocking in on a factory floor. I don't have the numbers, but it may be that the majority of income in the US comes from "investment" or other passive not-earned means.

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

#48

Post by tmountain »

chiefalchemist wrote: post #35
leetrout wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What are some strategies for guarding your calm that have worked for the HN crowd?

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

#49

Post by greatpostman »

bilsbie wrote: post #39
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?

Confidence, a large social circle, fun hobbies, dynamic/carefree attitude towards life, low stress psychological states, opinionated, makes money on your own instead of sucking up to some corporate master

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

#50

Post by starkd »

chiefalchemist wrote: post #35
leetrout wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

There will always be a need for some multi-taskers. Some are better at it than others. Not everyone is the same. Office secretaries/assistants/receptionists are the heartbeat of any business.
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