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by firestri 2856 days ago
> Why 40 hrs? Try 24-32 and you might find the pace suits you better. This might work for a small org that needs a tech person but can’t support a FT tech person.

How do you find these? I've looked for PT work and everywhere wants FT employees or nothing because they say the marginal cost to them between PT and FT isn't much more (admin, training, office space and health insurance costs are pretty much fixed regardless of hours worked)

I end up leaving because I get burned out, because I don't want to drink the Kool-Aid and that doesn't sit well with management, and because I get bored: companies never do something so amazing that I want to keep doing it a year in. It's interesting in the beginning because you learn how the company works, how the software works, you meet new people, maybe discover a new area of the city where the office is in but all that eventually wears out.

1 comments

I haven’t found them, but it’s not a reason not to look or, even better, ask. I believe that if people asked for roles like these, they would start to be offered.

We are just too stuck in the 40hr work week tradition right now. We should really be looking at our goals and output, not the number of hours per day we’ll commit to working. But that’s a tall order to change. And a lot of people would fail inder this setup because they are not goal-oriented, they just show up, take directions, and go home.

The alternative is as others are suggesting, have no employer, set an income goal or quality of life goal, and adjust your output to meet it. Unfortunately you cant just make money appear by writing code, so part of your goal/output config will involve finding a market for your output.

If this is too much work I would just do what you’re doing until people wont hire you any longer. I expect there will still be someone who will hire you ;)

Really what you’re feeling seems really normal and I suspect most people feel it. Working forty hours for the vast majority of employers is a poor way to experience “life”. You have a skill set that lets you stop and start as you wish to; most people in the world don’t have that luxury.

If I were you I would look into becoming financially independent as quickly as possible, so you can leave this grind and explore life on your own terms. The market is so strong right now that you should take advantage of it. It might not last! If your motivations for working changed, you might also find you can stick around a little longer.