#WorkLifeBalance #Addiction #SelfCare
Hey everyone! 😊 Let’s dive into something that’s been on my mind lately:
How is it that putting in 8 hours a day at a job is considered "normal," but doing anything else for the same amount of time gets labeled as an "addiction"? 🤔
Let’s break it down:
- Gaming for 8 hours? Yep, you’re “addicted.” 🎮
- Scrolling on your phone for 8 hours? That’s definitely a “problem.” 📱
- Binge-watching TV for 8 hours? That’s “excessive.” 📺
- Hitting the gym for 8 hours? You’re “obsessed.” 💪
- Reading books for 8 hours? Now you’re just “crazy.” 📚
But when it comes to working 8 hours in front of a computer screen? Oh, that’s just everyday life! 😅
So what gives? Why is work the only activity that gets a free pass?
Here’s what I think:
- Societal Norms: We’ve all been conditioned to view traditional jobs as essential, but why do we penalize passion and leisure?
- Value Systems: The value system seems to prioritize productivity over enjoyment. But shouldn’t we embrace balance?
- Mental Health: Excessive work can lead to burnout. So, is it fair to normalize that while shunning other activities?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Have you ever felt judged for spending your time on hobbies or activities you’re passionate about? Or do you have tips for finding a balance between work and play?
Share your experiences below, and let’s keep the conversation going! 💬✨
“Workaholic”
An addiction is something really hard to quit. I quit working really easily. Said, “Byeee”.
Bc the implication is that in order to spend the amount of time that you do at work doing something you enjoy, you must be addicted.
It comes down to capitalism being the ultimate decider of what is important in our lives, regardless of how we feel about it
If you do any of those other things for your own entertainment, you’re not being “productive” and contributing to society, and that’s just unacceptable, you lazy sum’ bitch! /s
I’m in my late 40s and worked nearly 30 years in the soul-sucking retail profession.
If I want to spend 16 hours of my weekend marathoning movies, or playing WoW, then I’ll do just that. Fuck what other people think.
I’ll decide for myself how I spend my time between paychecks, tyvm.
I agree on almost all your points but I don’t think reading 8 hours is crazy, I’ve done that and enjoyed it many times.
Addictions give you dopamine in return, not cold hard cash.
Because work gains us resources we use to survive and fund the things we want to do. Since it’s enabling you to support yourself, it’s considered acceptable to spend as much time on it as you need to so you can get by.
The line between a favorite pastime and an addiction, diagnostically, comes when it begins to compromise your relationships with family and friends, health, and/or said ability to support yourself.
If you can spend 8 hours a day playing video games and it *doesn’t* affect those things, you’re not an addict. For that to happen, though, you’re probably doing it professionally or semi-professionally, which circles back to “work.”
Seriously, I do 4000 lines in spreadsheets for 8 hours it’s “productive”
I do 4000 lines of coke for 8 hours, and it’s all, “You really need to stop before your heart explodes”
I have three addictions: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The job supports the habit.
I’m addicted to getting paid.
As a construction worker I build stuff for 8 hours a day. Stuff that wasn’t there before. After playing Xbox for 8 hours nothing has changed other than my electric bill has gone up.
Work is necessary. 8 hours is nothing compared to what it used to be. All the things around you, including the website you’re complaining about work on required work to make and requires work to keep running. Very few people like work, but it’s needed to advance humanity forward.
Because you’re not making someone money, you’re seen as lazy. It’s a narrative that’s spun to make the plebs turn on each other rather than the real lazy asshole at the top profiting off your work
Listen, the whole point of “work” is to extinguish the flame of whatever the passions of your youth were—assuming you forged any in the first place (you think it’s coincidence they start pushing college to 6th graders?). If you didn’t get sucked into the whirlpool of modern banality like everyone else did, then that clearly means there’s something wrong with YOU. /s
Oh, I think my wanking for 8 hours may be too much.. 😳
Look, I’ll make it easy for you to understand. You should be spending that time creating value for ME to profit from and give you a pittance, but only if I have to.
I’m addicted to a full paycheck
Capitalism. Next question.
Yeah, how dare you not spend 1/3 of your day doing anything that doesn’t dirctly feed capitalism! /s
People only seem to add value to time if there’s a monetary element. We’re conditioned to not think of “value” in any other way besides tangible output.
this is a really good question I’ve never thought about before you’re right OP.
My dentist said I grind in my sleep, I said I appreciate that fam
We work because we have to, not because we want to. We aren’t “addicted” to the grind, we need to be able to pay for things like food and rent. Some people believe that winning at capitalism is an important part of their identity but most people work to live, they don’t live to work.
I’m assuming you are 15 and supported by your parents since this does not make sense to you.
“You spent all your money on coke?!?!?! You scumbag!!!”
“You spent all your money on rent? Good lil’ boy.”