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I think the author’s analysis ignores an important facet of this problem - namely, the tremendous opportunity cost of burnout. In my time in this industry, I ha
by ehennenfent 6y ago
I think the author’s analysis ignores an important facet of this problem - namely, the tremendous opportunity cost of burnout. In my time in this industry, I have seen burnout result in lost employment, failed startups, years-long mental health crises, and even total career switches. Even if the locally optimal solution is to prioritize work over leisure, most people who have been exposed to the idea of “burnout” at all seem to recognize that regularly trading leisure for productivity can result in significantly _less_ productivity over a five year period, even if seems optimal in the current month.
- BlueTemplar 6y agoIndeed. AFAIK the psychological definition of burnout is something that you never bounce back from (to the same level). Something that you bounce back from is 'just' exhaustion – and burnout is something that happens when you're exhausted but still keep pushing. It's interesting how the author first uses sleep as an example of leisure, then something as akin to 'work' (before play), because undersleeping is pretty much the typical example of the kind of short-time 'benefit' thing that leads to very high long-term costs. But I guess that the first mention of 'sleep' might have meant "staying lazily in bed when you have already woken up" ?