Work Life balance slows careers

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Extreme hours and family tradeoffs

  • Many are shocked by the author’s early-career schedule (sleeping bag in office, coding most of the day) and see it as a recipe for divorce, estranged kids, and poor-quality work after ~40 hours/week.
  • Several recount parents who prioritized careers and ended up ill, disabled, or dead early; surviving families mostly felt it wasn’t worth it.
  • Others argue some people are simply wired to push hard and feel restless without visible progress.

Career vs life: what’s the point?

  • A recurring theme: yes, work–life balance slows careers, but a “career” is just one facet of a good life.
  • Commenters stress doing “desired things” throughout life instead of deferring everything to retirement, when health and relationships may no longer be there.
  • Some explicitly say they care far more about family than career, even at the cost of slower advancement and lower income.

Money, financial freedom, and FIRE

  • Debate over whether short-term grind (e.g., Staff-level comp, $500k/year) can buy long-term freedom: numbers vary wildly (from $500k to $10M+), with healthcare and location as key constraints.
  • Pro-FIRE voices: make hay in 20s/30s, compound gains, then downshift; early intense effort can permanently reduce financial anxiety.
  • Skeptics: “might” and “may not” dominate; economic collapse, divorce, illness, or burnout can erase plans. Toiling away your best years is questioned.

US vs Europe and “quality of life”

  • Strong contrast between European norms (more vacation, sick leave) and US norms (less leave, more consumption: pickups, toys).
  • Some see EU lifestyle as better for 90% of people; others frame US prosperity as the result of longer work hours but note ignored externalities (mental health, inequality).

Survivorship bias, luck, and exploitation

  • Multiple commenters argue the author’s story is highly atypical: many work just as hard and get neither promotions nor recognition.
  • Overwork often leads to burnout when effort isn’t rewarded; recovery can take years and permanently alter one’s relationship to work.
  • People note that opportunity, politics, and luck (plum projects vs “tarballs”) can matter more than extra hours.

Big companies, startups, and upside

  • If you’re going to sacrifice everything for work, some argue you’re better off founding a company so you own the upside.
  • At big tech, extra hours often translate into “golden handcuffs,” not true freedom; others note that promotions are limited by org structure and cannot scale to everyone.

Children, “spoiled” debate, and parenting

  • The anecdote of a 7‑year‑old needing to schedule chess time with a parent is widely seen as heartbreaking; some blame the parent’s choices, not the child.
  • One dissenting view calls the kid “spoiled,” saying many parents have no choice but to work multiple jobs. Others counter that wanting time with your parent isn’t spoiling; it’s basic attachment.