How much should you work?

(written by lawrence krubner, however indented passages are often quotes). You can contact lawrence at: lawrence@krubner.com, or follow me on Twitter.

Taryn East says no one should work more than 40 hours:

Anything over a 40 hour week is really stupid. Not just for you, but also for the business you’re working for. Many good books have pointed out that, not only do you not do your best work after five… but sometimes you can be actively sliding backwards (making more bugs that have to be cleaned up).

Of course the business won’t say no. They think they’re getting extra work from you for free… But remember that old deathbed adage about nobody feeling like they should have spent more time at the office.

Don’t ever forget that any extra time at work is at the expense of your most precious commodity – your own life.

I am unable to get my head around the division of “work” and “life”. Is it true that they live in separate boxes? I find that hard to fathom. For my part, I’m usually happiest when I’m working.

I am annoyed by the line “No on on their deathbed wished they spent more time at the office”. Everyone knows how false that is. Do you think Monet would like to have had more time to work? What about Picasso? I can think of some famous cases: F Scott Fitzgerald in particular, who clearly, and publicly, wished that he could have spent more time at his work.

My own dad was frequently sad about the way personal obligations took him away from work. When he was on his deathbed, he wished that he’d gotten further with his career. I’ve promised myself not to make the same mistake.

Besides all that, work is huge fun, and if it isn’t, then you should change jobs.

I do agree that life is short, and it is way too short to work at a job that you hate. People should find work they enjoy. And then I don’t think it matters if they are working 40 hours a week or 80.

Post external references

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    http://rubyglasses.blogspot.com/2012/03/go-fuck-home.html
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