"Yo, 60-hour weeks are no longer cool" 😒 I hear and read statements like this very often these days and I have to say, they annoy me. 🤨 Why is that? I like working a lot! This sentence doesn't come off my fingers as easily as it should. 📝 I love the feeling of accomplishing something at work, helping out colleagues, learning something new, overcoming obstacles. And I know that in order to do so, I need to sacrifice time and energy! However, more and more often, I have the feeling that, within the context of the (absolutely important and healthy!) discussion about "work-life balance" 💼🏠, another, quite toxic counter-movement has developed: Work Shaming! 🤯 The militant "mindfulness" mob has social media in its grip and attacks, sometimes subtly, sometimes less so, people who publicly talk about their love for their workplace and their work. 👎 I call them "healthaholics", and while I take extreme care of my mental as well as physical health, I do believe it is absolutely possible to combine these two "passions". In fact, I think it's imperative: For most people, work represents the majority of their waking life! So I think that NOT putting in proper effort and NOT loving your job makes you unhealthy! 🤒 Nowadays, thanks to the shortage of skilled workers, it's no problem to find another job if your current one isn't fulfilling. 🔄 With this post, I'm deliberately poking the beehive. 🐝 What do you think? 🧐 Is the work-life balance trend turning into work-shaming? P.S.: Joy, my bullie, likes working, too.
Taras Kundyk
9mo
I completely agree with you on this. Thanks for highlighting that there's no shame in enjoying what you do and putting in the effort to excel. Finding the right balance is key. How are you managing to find that balance in your career?
Leon Meier
9mo
Great points made here. I’d be curious to see proof of how well anyone’s long hours translate to value generated for the customer. If people want to put in long hours „for fun“ or (in most cases) to please their boss and the people around them, it better have a real impact and be paid handsomely. Otherwise what’s the point?
Joel Stoehr
9mo
Finding creative solutions can help you combine both loving what you do with having enough downtime as well 😉
Sascha Bilen
9mo
Wo kommen bloß all die Kommentare aus aller Welt? Geht das mit rechten Dingen zu;)). Trotzdem freue ich mich Dich hier mal wieder zu sehen Daniel Stojanovic
Amine Khalladi
9mo
Research has demonstrated that working longer hours can actually lead to increased personal wellbeing in some cases 🤗
Andreas Oetker
9mo
While the dedication of founders is key, glorifying 60-hour weeks overlooks the essence of leadership: as founders, we don’t just lead, we serve. Our employees don’t work for us — we work for them, creating environments that foster well-being and sustainable productivity. Long hours as a badge of honor risks burnout and undermines the work-life balance essential for long-term success. Let's champion a culture that values efficiency, creativity, and balance. By doing so, we ensure our teams thrive, driving the company forward with collective health and commitment.
Thamizh .
9mo
As we navigate these discussions, let's remember the importance of diverse perspectives and constructive dialogue. It's through this exchange of ideas that we can truly enrich our understanding and practices around work and life.
Gabriel T. C.
9mo
Let’s focus on seeing the added value behind every hour worked instead of putting unnecessary emphasis on quantity 🤝 PS: Disagreements are always healthy within constructive discourse: let’s use this opportunity to learn from each other’s perspectives 👩
Shamika Patil
9mo
However, it's equally important to acknowledge that a fulfilling career does not mandate constant overextension. It's about recognizing the value of our health—both physical and mental—and ensuring these are never compromised in pursuit of professional achievements.
Managing Partner at DONE!Berlin GmbH
9moPuh, controversial opinion from you. I genuinely enjoy my job as Managing Partner, I'm grateful for where I am, even though it doesn't adhere to the traditional 40-hour work week. However, to me, it actually is not „cool“, like you stated, to expect employees to be fine with (consistently) 60h. If someone loves what they do and wants to do it for that amount of time: amazing! Go for it! But it's important to recognize that founders or C-level executives aren't directly comparable to regular employees. They often have different contracts, responsibilities, and compensation packages. Consequently, it's not fair to demand the same 'founder-extra-mile' from employees. In my role, I monitor our team's working hours, and my focus is on ensuring that the workload is manageable within their contractual hours. If it's not, we assess whether additional skills are needed to work more efficiently or if tasks can be better distributed. My goal is long-term planning, not just short-term, unsustainable 60-hour work weeks. I genuinely love my job, my team, and our projects, but I also understand the importance of not glorifying constant 60-hour work weeks.