How I Choose What to Work On (2023)
(tynan.com)
A reader, “Moo”, asked me to write about my process for entrepreneurship and how I choose what to write on. Despite being a lifelong entrepreneur and being relatively successful at it, I don’t write a lot about it because I routinely make decisions that trade money for other things (freedom, autonomy, quality of life, stubborn insistence on what I want a product to be, etc).
A reader, “Moo”, asked me to write about my process for entrepreneurship and how I choose what to write on. Despite being a lifelong entrepreneur and being relatively successful at it, I don’t write a lot about it because I routinely make decisions that trade money for other things (freedom, autonomy, quality of life, stubborn insistence on what I want a product to be, etc).
Ask HN: Any jobs that don't force you to always be advancing career wise?
(ycombinator.com)
I’m a software developer (web, fullstack) that’s been in the industry for about 10 years now and I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t care about advancing my career.
I’m a software developer (web, fullstack) that’s been in the industry for about 10 years now and I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t care about advancing my career.
Ask HN: How to find intellectually challenging work?
(ycombinator.com)
After working (mostly) as a backend developer since 2013, I was recently burned (or bored?) out a bit, quit my job and went on a sabbatical for half a year. Now I need to start looking for a new job. However, I'm not sure how to find something that feels more meaningful and intellectually stimulating to me.
After working (mostly) as a backend developer since 2013, I was recently burned (or bored?) out a bit, quit my job and went on a sabbatical for half a year. Now I need to start looking for a new job. However, I'm not sure how to find something that feels more meaningful and intellectually stimulating to me.
Sixty Hours a week? How about 4 uninterrupted hours a day?
(cdibona.substack.com)
Again, a silly news story leads to me yammering about some of my time in the Silicon Valley. If you want to get to the meat of my response to Sergey’s memo exhorting employees to work 60 hours a week to usher in the next great age of AGI, scroll down a page or two….
Again, a silly news story leads to me yammering about some of my time in the Silicon Valley. If you want to get to the meat of my response to Sergey’s memo exhorting employees to work 60 hours a week to usher in the next great age of AGI, scroll down a page or two….
Boss Wants You Back in the Office. This Surveillance Tech Could Be Waiting
(wired.com)
A new wave of return-to-office mandates has arrived since the New Year, including at JP Morgan Chase, leading advertising agency WPP, and Amazon—not to mention President Trump’s late January directive to the heads of federal agencies to “terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person … on a full-time basis.”
A new wave of return-to-office mandates has arrived since the New Year, including at JP Morgan Chase, leading advertising agency WPP, and Amazon—not to mention President Trump’s late January directive to the heads of federal agencies to “terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person … on a full-time basis.”
I'm starting to suspect my work is incompatible with a full-time academic job
(humprog.org)
It's time to admit that I'm in a mess too.
It's time to admit that I'm in a mess too.
"At Our Companies, Employees Just Disappear"
(slate.com)
Few people are as knee-deep in our work-related anxieties and sticky office politics as Alison Green, who has been fielding workplace questions for a decade now on her website Ask a Manager. In Direct Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better.
Few people are as knee-deep in our work-related anxieties and sticky office politics as Alison Green, who has been fielding workplace questions for a decade now on her website Ask a Manager. In Direct Report, she spotlights themes from her inbox that help explain the modern workplace and how we could be navigating it better.
Ask HN: Tired of startups – want a normal job. Help
(ycombinator.com)
All but the first few years out of school I spent the better part of my 20's working in startups.
All but the first few years out of school I spent the better part of my 20's working in startups.
We're moving to a four-day week to attract staff
(bbc.com)
A business based in Lincoln is among the latest to offer a four-day working week because it hopes to attract the most talented staff in a competitive industry.
A business based in Lincoln is among the latest to offer a four-day working week because it hopes to attract the most talented staff in a competitive industry.
Work-Life Balance as a Manager
(yusufaytas.com)
As an IC, you close your laptop at 6 PM, log off, and forget about the work unless you are oncall. As a manager, you check Slack at 10 PM because someone might need you. Your calendar looks like there’s no time to do anything and you haven’t had an actual deep focus hour in weeks. Sounds familiar? Welcome to management, where your time is no longer yours. Or is it?
As an IC, you close your laptop at 6 PM, log off, and forget about the work unless you are oncall. As a manager, you check Slack at 10 PM because someone might need you. Your calendar looks like there’s no time to do anything and you haven’t had an actual deep focus hour in weeks. Sounds familiar? Welcome to management, where your time is no longer yours. Or is it?
Quiet Quitting: Why Employees Are Demanding Fairness and Boundaries
(forbes.com)
The response to my recent article on why soft quitting at work could be more dangerous than quiet quitting has been overwhelming. Readers passionately shared their thoughts, frustrations, and personal experiences, sparking a crucial conversation about what quiet quitting really means for employees and organizations. Many agreed that the term misrepresents what is often a rational response to systemic issues in the workplace.
The response to my recent article on why soft quitting at work could be more dangerous than quiet quitting has been overwhelming. Readers passionately shared their thoughts, frustrations, and personal experiences, sparking a crucial conversation about what quiet quitting really means for employees and organizations. Many agreed that the term misrepresents what is often a rational response to systemic issues in the workplace.
How to know when it's time to go
(bitfieldconsulting.com)
I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. When you hate your job, no matter how much you try to put up with it, there comes a point where you’re mad as hell and you’re just not going to take it anymore. So, maybe this is the right moment to reflect: is it time to go?
I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. When you hate your job, no matter how much you try to put up with it, there comes a point where you’re mad as hell and you’re just not going to take it anymore. So, maybe this is the right moment to reflect: is it time to go?
Ask HN: How do you sleep on time?
(ycombinator.com)
Hello fellow HN guys, My work mostly ends around 9 to 10:00 PM. I have this hangover of spending a few hours after dinner so it ends up me being able to sleep around 12:00PM-1:00 AM which is very late. What can I do to get to sleep early?
Hello fellow HN guys, My work mostly ends around 9 to 10:00 PM. I have this hangover of spending a few hours after dinner so it ends up me being able to sleep around 12:00PM-1:00 AM which is very late. What can I do to get to sleep early?
What it's like working for American companies as an Australian
(seangoedecke.com)
For the last ten years I’ve worked for American tech companies as an Australian based in Australia.
For the last ten years I’ve worked for American tech companies as an Australian based in Australia.
Ask HN: I'm a dev who never wants to be on call again. What are my best options?
(ycombinator.com)
Ask HN: I'm a dev who never wants to be on call again. What are my best options?
Ask HN: I'm a dev who never wants to be on call again. What are my best options?
Four-day week at a south London school
(theguardian.com)
At a small independent school on the fringes of a National Trust park in Morden, south London, a quiet revolution is under way.
At a small independent school on the fringes of a National Trust park in Morden, south London, a quiet revolution is under way.
Beyond the hype: what workers think about workplace AI assistants
(theconversation.com)
Imagine starting your workday with an AI assistant that not only helps you write emails but also tracks your productivity, suggests breathing exercises, monitors your mood and stress levels and summarises meetings.
Imagine starting your workday with an AI assistant that not only helps you write emails but also tracks your productivity, suggests breathing exercises, monitors your mood and stress levels and summarises meetings.
'It didn't come as a surprise': UK workers on being forced back into the office
(theguardian.com)
Christina says it is a “logistical nightmare” working out the school and nursery runs after being ordered to return to the office for three days a week from January. “It didn’t come as a surprise but it was devastating,” she says.
Christina says it is a “logistical nightmare” working out the school and nursery runs after being ordered to return to the office for three days a week from January. “It didn’t come as a surprise but it was devastating,” she says.
"Oh shit, my career " shouted one of the interns
(seatsafetyswitch.com)
“Oh shit, my career!” shouted one of the interns in the bullpen when it becomes obvious immediately what had happened. Yes, Justin. You had now learned a new and uncomfortable truth about working for the Man, and your working life will never be the same again. And it all started because he didn’t follow the mandatory security training that every employee needs to click through while half-paying attention.
“Oh shit, my career!” shouted one of the interns in the bullpen when it becomes obvious immediately what had happened. Yes, Justin. You had now learned a new and uncomfortable truth about working for the Man, and your working life will never be the same again. And it all started because he didn’t follow the mandatory security training that every employee needs to click through while half-paying attention.
Journey from Entrepreneur to Employee
(akshay.co)
Around 3 years back, after spending seven years as an entrepreneur—I found myself at crossroads. Having built startups, one of which was acquired, I decided to step away from the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship to explore what being an employee is like. This transition wasn’t just about changing roles; it was about navigating a shift in mindset, skillset, and priorities.
Around 3 years back, after spending seven years as an entrepreneur—I found myself at crossroads. Having built startups, one of which was acquired, I decided to step away from the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship to explore what being an employee is like. This transition wasn’t just about changing roles; it was about navigating a shift in mindset, skillset, and priorities.
The oversavers: Older Americans who wish they'd worked less, vacationed more
(businessinsider.com)
Some Americans "oversave" for retirement and end up sacrificing during their working years.
Some Americans "oversave" for retirement and end up sacrificing during their working years.
Out-of-office emails are getting a refresh – employees set work-life boundaries
(cbc.ca)
Rather than a copy-and-paste message, employees have given the humble out-of-office reply a revamp.
Rather than a copy-and-paste message, employees have given the humble out-of-office reply a revamp.
Remote Work Is Increasingly a Right of the Rich
(nytimes.com)
When it comes to remote work, the C-suite wants workers to do as they say, not as they do.
When it comes to remote work, the C-suite wants workers to do as they say, not as they do.
Ask HN: How do you find part time work?
(ycombinator.com)
I have a project that I'm working on turning into a small business. I've done some part-time work (retainers and project-based) over the past year and it's gone well. It's relatively high pay for part-time work, leaving me time and flexibility to work on my own project.
I have a project that I'm working on turning into a small business. I've done some part-time work (retainers and project-based) over the past year and it's gone well. It's relatively high pay for part-time work, leaving me time and flexibility to work on my own project.