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20-somethings shouldn’t be worried about working too hard or too much, especially in this economy.
If you like your job, then now is the time to work your butt off so that when you have more life responsibilities (i.e. family) you’ll have more autonomy and scheduling flexibility. If you don’t like your job, then now is the time to work your butt off so that you can develop the skills to get the job you want.
Work/Life Balance isn’t a healthy plan of attack for 20-somethings.
Let’s say that I’m 24 and I work for company I don’t care about, for a boss I resent, in a town that doesn’t excite me. I can’t quit cold turkey because I need the money for rent, food, etc. When my work day ends should I:
a.) Study another industry that gives me more energy.
b.) Hit the Internet and learn about other cities that intrigue me.
c.) Network (in-person or online) with people in said industries and cities.
d.) Grab a drink with some friends so that I can unwind after my stressful day.
A, b, and c require after-work focus, but they will be more satisfying than d. I won't be able to unwind with one drink. Instead, I will likely have several drinks, which will make me feel even worse about my unsatisfying existence. Not to mention, that I’ll drop 20 bucks in the process.
Similarly, if I go home and watch three episodes of CSI, my stress won’t disappear. Instead, it will just wait until I claim in bed and then haunt me until I fall asleep.
Look, I understand that, in theory, the Work/Life concept is intended to add fulfillment and depth to life. It’s about making sure that we carve our time for exercise, volunteer work, and cuddling. All of that is important. I get that. However, I have run across too many 20-somethings who use “work/life” as an excuse to work less, drink more, and play XBOX.
Therefore, I stand by my assertion that Work/Life balance is not something 20-somethings should be worried about. Instead, my suggestion is to work your butt off until you find a job that doesn’t feel like work.
Think about how relaxed and balanced you’ll feel.
Hey Jake-
Strong post. I agree on the major point--that determination is a key component of success--and the concept of "work/life" can be used as an excuse to yourself for not following through.
Yet, something nags at me about where work fits into life. For me, the question that rings in my head is "how much is my life about what I do at work?" I suppose many people (20 somethings included) out there want to find a job or a career that they love. For them, working after 5pm isn't a big deal--they'll reap more and more rewards. But I think those types of people are in the minority.
I'm guessing that most people work at jobs they'd rather leave at the office. Sure, to "get ahead", you have to put in more time and do more than the next person. But, what kind of consequences does this commitment to your job have on your life? If we are always working overtime in hopes for what will come in the future, we may be missing out on what's happening now. Like you mentioned, 20-somethings are in a unique position in that they have little "strings attached"--and they have that freedom to travel, experience new things, and plan adventures beyond their career's wildest imaginations.
I'm still working out all of these thoughts, too. I appreciate you putting yours out there. I'll be reflecting more about this on my blog in the coming weeks--phdetails.wordpress.com.
Cheers-
Andrew Stuhl
So even though you agree that the idea behind the work/life balance is important, all 20somethings should stop pursuing it because some 20somethings don't do it the right way? I may be especially sensitive because as a 20something in the non-profit world, I know a lot about doing extra work. I remember weeks at one particular non-profit where I was easily pulling 60 or 70 hours. I remember coming in at 6am for an event and working straight through till 1 in the morning. Then I got up the next day to help with the breakdown and came in the same time on Monday and never asked to take some time off. I ignored my own health, my family, my friends, everything in pursuit of "working hard" and "earning my keep." I was also terrified to ask for time off that was rightfully mine because I believed wanting to take personal time for myself was a betryal.
I'm not saying that demanding companies give you more time for Xbox is appropriate. I am saying though, that there are plenty of 20somethings who legitimately need to develop a work-life balance or they will burn themselves out. I should know, after a year of going non-stop I woke up one morning unable to get out of bed. My body simply couldn't do it. I didn't have health insurance because I was terrified to ask for a pay increase when the cost went up. Thank God I finally starting listening to my mom about work-life balance and learning how to say no and put myself first.
Work life balance is important to anyone - but I think the underlying theme here is to work and learn as much as you can, while you can. Once a wife, kids, and house come into the mix your time is limited to explore, learn, stay late on cool project deadlines, or even grab that drink with the boss after a hard day. When in your twenties it's "easier" to do these things, but in moderation. Burning your self out will do nothing.
I like the post, strong message. Trust me, as a person who will be leaving my twenties in six months, having all that time in my young twenties to learn and work as much as possible has positioned me greatly now that I have more "life" responsibilites.
I am a border line gen X/Y. I never worked the long hours in my early 20's because I had sports and hobbies that were important to me. They were demanding sports that required training and money. Those were great time and I miss them, but will likely never do them again.
DO YOU KNOW WHY?
I had a serious work related injury and will never be able to do those things again. I sure am glad I didn't follow your advice or I would have never gotten the chance to enjoy those intense and fun activities. Those life experiences were just important as working.
We should never slack off on the job, but if you have something you want to do YOU SHOULD DO IT. You may not be able to pick up where you left off in retirement. Also all that extra hard work during your career can easily turn into nothing overnight (I'll bet many unemployed folks out there today made those sacrifices and I am sure they ask themselves "why" because they are in nearly the same position they would have been in if they slacked off). Let’s not even get into folks who went to school and worked their but off only to find out that they will NEVER get a job in the field they studied.
Don't wait do what you want NOW, but keep your day job because everyone needs to eat and pay for their hobbies.
Thanks everyone for the comments.
I would like to reiterate one of the key points of my post:
"...work your butt off until you find a job that doesn’t feel like work"
The goal is for people to (as a recent comment said) DO WHAT YOU WANT NOW.
Our '20s are a great time to figure what we want and go after it. That said, we have bills to pay and people seldom find their dream jobs the first time out, which means that we work "day jobs" to make ends meet. Our career-searching, soul- searching, and opportunity-generating activities often have to take place after normal working hours. It requires extra work and focus.
In my opinion, life in your 20s is about figuring out what you want from life. Work is a piece of that puzzle, but it's not the complete picture. There are lots of aspects to explore and lots of risks to take.
What are your strengths and weaknesses in friendships and relationships? What kind of travel do you enjoy? These and many other questions have answers that you probably want to know sooner rather than later (particularly since finding them out often takes some time)--and you're more likely to find the answers away from work.
Being able to support yourself is important. But it isn't the only important thing.
Some people don't want to do extra work and focus though. This is a hard thing for me to accept as I find I have less and less in common with some of my old friends. It's just what happens and we all have different goals and values.
I understand you're writing a post to people who want to have successful careers, because when I write this type of post on my blog, people write similar comments to the one I'm writing now and I just think, yeah, yeah. But it's worth mentioning that because you already get this, you're light-years ahead of most.
I agree with doing the extra work. In fact, I am lauching my own business and studying for some industry-wide exams after my "day job". However, I also have a family and find time to balance it with work. You can have both. It is all about time management.
One of the things that bugs me about the Brazen community is that so many people commenting (and to some extent posting as well) making these sweeping generalizations that apply to an entire Generation. I'm certain I am guilty of it as well, but let's be frank. It's bullshit.
Jake carefully reiterates one of the primary things he wants people to take away from this post -- "...work your butt off until you find a job that doesn’t feel like work"
And it's a good message for those that want it. Some don't, and those that don't should refrain from attacking Jake about why he's wrong, and offer additional suggestions for people that approach life from a different lens. (And maybe that's all these commenters have done and I've just had a long day at work, and am generalizing comments on Brazen, and should read my own words - that's entirely possible too).
My disposition is very similar to Jake's. I come home, I workout and then I read, read, read, and write in an effort to learn more about my passions, and myself in the process.
But I have plenty of friends that I really respect that are spending these years learning about themselves, not sweating money and Roth IRAs, and working long hours. Kudos to them, there are days I wish I had that disposition.
I think my point to this entire rant is that we all need to remember (and respect the fact) that we're all different, and we're all negotiating this life and this space from different lenses with different experiences.
Some good discussions on Brazen today. Making me wish I had more time to participate more often!
Great post for those seeking a little motivation as well. A lot of us are hard workers but completely surrounded by friends who are simply unwilling to go live that way. And kudos to them, but it sure is tempting to follow suit sometimes. I have more good friends who would rather drink and play Xbox than I like to admit, and this post lets me feel justified in my insane work ethic and desire to excel in my field. Thanks.
Great post. If you're passionate about what you do at work, then keep with it. But if you're not, you need to put the same energy you'd put towards your job towards something else in your free time. I like my job, but I do devote plenty of hours on my off time towards studying and educating so that hopefully in a few years I can get an even better fit. I agree that many R&R activities Jake mentioned seem like a good idea, but in hindsight, does a night out with your friends leave you feeling energized or without energy? I know many things that are supposed to be "fun" for me can often leave me drained, and ticking off items on my to-do list over the weekend can help me to feel accomplished and re-energized. So I definitely agree with Jake's post those are some great ideas and great insights.
BooHoo's comment was spot on especially this part: "Let’s not even get into folks who went to school and worked their but off only to find out that they will NEVER get a job in the field they studied."
This fact is especially true for art school grads like me. I studied film. Right now, I'm no longer working in that field because I got laid off. I don't I will ever work in that field again because of the uncertainty I felt while doing it.
Working in online publishing and content management has open my eyes to personal fulfillment that I never really found in film.
I was initially frightened about switching careers only 3 years out of school for a field that is so new and constantly evolving. But, I am young and thus had nothing left to lose.
However, I do believe that despite my determination to find the right career, I'm slacking in my other pursuits. I could always work harder in developing my creative skills, networking, and cultivating my mind. But sometimes I get so jaded once I get home from work and who knows what I'll get into or whether it's productive to my future or not.
I'm trying to be better about it but, it gets harder to focus especially when your life's anything but settled.
hmmm, are you sure that we deserve to live like that? isn't life about enjoying yourself, doing what you love, when you like and with whom you love? i do this and i'm only 27. and i am with a company where my colleagues are earning more in a month than Lleyton Hewitt has earned this year so far. That's alot of money.
If you don't believe it can be done, then you don't believe it's possible for you.
if you want to do what i do, get in touch with me.
Enjoy,
As someone who's far more comfortable with doing nothing but work, work, work than taking time to step back and smell the roses, I understand your frustration with 20-somethings that feel entitled to immediately having their dream job AND a work/life balance.
However, looking back on the past year and a half of my life, I wish I had taken more time to explore things not immediately related to my educational/career goals. I think that developing an "all work and no play" mentality can eventually make for a very unhappy existence, especially if your hard work doesn't land you that dream job. In becoming so focused on securing a successful future for ourselves, it's easy to lose sight of the experiences we should be having now...and it can make you feel isolated from your peers that aren't so driven.
Part of being able to successfully network and make the connections you need to make to further your career come from having interests and activities outside the workplace. In all honesty, it's not easy for me to 'broaden my focus' and let myself leave work/school behind when I come home. But I'm trying.
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