[moregrist]

The schedule is not better. My quality of life increased dramatically when I left academia and realized that I had time for things like hobbies.

Even in startups, there’s a tacit understanding that you’re exchanging your time for money and that this exchange has limits. This is simply not true in academics where the need to publish to keep funding (and often your job) is incredibly intense.

[SecretDreams]

Sorry, you're correct. I specifically meant flexible, which I equate to better. Both academia and in some industries will likely be 50+ hrs weekly, especially in the early days of their careers. But academia offers substantially more flexibility. Especially once you bring kids into the mix where you're more likely to need to shift your day around for children/child care.

Posted this same comment elsewhere, but seemed equally appropriate as a response to you.