One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned in tech is boundaries. When to set them, how to enforce them, and (occasionally) when to cross them. Learning this early in my career made it easier to apply later – like now, running my own business. If I don’t get paid when I don’t work, then I don’t work when I don’t get paid. Simple.
But this isn’t just on my mind because I’m chasing overdue invoices (though, you know, that too). It started when I saw posts and articles about how 996 culture is gaining traction among startups and founders, especially in Silicon Valley. You know, the “work 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week” grind. And this is despite most people knowing it’s unhealthy. Despite the constant complaints on social about burnout and not having a life outside work.
At first, I just got annoyed. Because life is about balance, and working all the time isn’t it. And for what? You grind now for a payoff later? So you can retire early and live rich?
Here’s the thing: I’ve had way too many people taken from me way too early in life. You might not get to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Life is unpredictable. There’s a reason people should be living in the now and not solely focused on the future. Again, balance. Consider the future, remember the past, but be in the present.
My second thought was sadness. I feel genuinely sad for people caught in this cycle. Because if they’re so obsessed with achieving whatever they’ve decided “success” is, they’re missing out on so much. They probably work like this because they don’t think they have – or worse, don’t think they want – friends or family they’d rather spend time with. They don’t have a cause, a hobby, or a bucket list they’d rather pursue than work. They’re so focused on this one thing that they miss the thousand other important things that make life worth living.
And that makes me sad. Because while work is important, while achieving things matters, while being financially secure is important – it is not and cannot be the only important thing. Life is so much more than that.
It’s about balance.
So yeah, if you’re reading this and feeling burnt out, overworked, or like you’re missing out on life, perhaps consider this your sign to reassess. Set boundaries. Protect your time. Remember what you’re actually working for.
Because at the end of the day, as clichéd as it sounds, nobody on their death bed wishes they’d spent more time at the office.
This post was originally published on LinkedIn