The illusion of weekends - We are just in recovery mode :/
I've been working for about five years now. The concept of a weekend has completely changed for me in 2024. But there's something about our current lifestyle that just concerns me. In both tech and non-tech roles.
In college or even early in my career, I remember weekends actually feeling like free time. Going out, meeting friends, pursuing a hobby, or just existing without stress.
You lived for 2 days, then worked for 5. And thought about work only when you logged in.
Now, I feel like most of us don't actually have weekends anymore. It's very obviously just a 48-hour recovery period so we don't physically collapse on Monday.
We end up spending Friday night just passing out from sheer exhaustion. Saturday goes into sleeping for 10 hours and doing basic life maintenance. Groceries, laundry, cleaning up the house.
By Sunday afternoon, the anxiety starts creeping in. You can't even enjoy the evening because your brain is already dreading the morning standup at work.
Work intensity has gone up. Personal energy has fallen.
We need to be more mindful of our boundaries, we need to actually disconnect on Friday, and then live well at home.
I think it's a function of the insane mental load we carry everyday. We are basically in zombie mode for two days just trying to repair our nervous system to do it all over again.
Needs to be fixed, it's the sign of a major burnout epidemic in the workforce. Thoughts?
Why is it techies all the time? Just take a look at other jobs too.. Its more or less the same hustle. Its a trade off actually. Doctors, teachers, or may be business men... all are hustling. Its post covid only that I see such things being said. Or one thing is we are a weak grown up generation. Workload is there but why like mar gaye mar gaye everytime. Apna kuch start krlo or switch to a less hustling role.
I used to work as a banker, back then we used to have 6 day workweek, only Sunday was Holiday 😢
I think you are advocating for 4 day workweek
That’s so true, and with all this constant layoffs news I started preparing hence not getting any time at all to actually enjoy.
What I think is, at 1 point I will move to better WLB place with less pay maybe once my savings will secure my FIRE numbers.
Welcome to adult life
Not justifying it, but there are many made to slave 6 days a week, in this day and time
Daaru pee ke so ja
Maybe go here today: https://good-deeds-day.in/bengaluru/
Who are you trying to please? Why don't boundaries exist? Why stress out of the job you once aspired for? Why out 5+2. Why not office+ me time? Do we have something to really complain about or are we too free and rich to think negatively?
MS has gone from bad to worse. I am in exact same boat as you. Already started applying outside.
Totally agree with you on this. I feel that the insane amount of work pressure can really detach you from the joyful things in life. Yes we do need to recharge ourselves and undo the damage in order to feel it however, by the time, we feel we've overcome the stress, it's Monday unfortunately :(
