Why are there so many workaholics in tech?
I’m genuinely curious.
Personally, I prioritize health & relationships - at the end of the day, working a standard gig is enough so long as I can take care of myself financially.
Everything else is a bonus.
I put it in 30hr pt weeks and study 20-22 hrs a week as I actively apply for an entry-level web dev role, but I cannot fathom only working.
I’m someone who grew up with a decent amount of privilege (lower class suburb), with my parents being raised in impoverished communities in Bay Area Ghettos. I’ve seen my father bust his chops working solo on 4-5 person jobs to take care of a 5person family, only to be laid off due to outsourcing and the housing crisis. (Luckily, he’s got a solid IT manager role in education now and has time for himself and us).
Ive spoken to elderly folks- some full of regret due to a life worked and not lived. I’ve seen people work themselves to death, developing heart conditions,etc. as they chased the mighty dollar. And for what?
Then I come to see age discrimination and company cultures with only young folks (though luckily not here at my current gig)- how does that offer any generational perspective?
Yes we need to solve problems, many in fact, but to you workaholics who clock in 60+ hrs a week in SWE roles (or any role) , why? #Work #life #health
comments
Longer hours don't necessarily mean more productivity. Most inexperienced tech folks are very inefficient, and it takes them a long time to get things done.
If you miss the early growth opportunities then it can be very hard to catch up later, particularly if you have more obligations such as raising a family.
You need to be very efficient at this point to remain productive. This efficiency comes from practice and experience. It is good to have accumulated a lot of this during your early growth phase.
Big tech tends to skew young, due to its enormous growth in recent decades. So a large proportion of the workforce appears to be working very hard.
Those who don’t have workplace boundaries or who don’t advocate for themselves are what concerns me the most. Not that it has anything to do with me- it’s just sad to see when you see someone’s livelihood fall apart.