[terwey]

Work to live, don't live to work.

Your company at the end of the day doesn't care about you, those 5 weeks you could've spend on a trip doing a hike or just chill on the beach. That is what you'll remember later in life. That deadline you crushed, your boss enjoyed but won't be remembered in a few years, and if your "team needed you" comes up, your company overworks you and needs to hire additional staff.

[trcollinson]

I don't disagree. And I mean this much more generally, I have worked quite a long time for quite a lot of companies. The amount of PTO that is given up, which I was privy to, was staggering.

The interesting thing is I used to try to force people who worked for me to take more time off and they would complain. I think in many ways it was the example I set, which was bad, of always working. It's a regret I honestly have. I'm also happy now that I am just an individual contributor. I don't have to try to change that culture anymore. I only need to change me.