N of 1, but I know my productivity has fallen, specifically at work. At home and on side projects nothing's changed, but I've come to the conclusion that my current job is enough to keep my family afloat, and that's all it will ever be. The implicit promise that's been around my entire life, particularly with those like myself making top 30% income/household by national standards, was that we could afford a decent house with decent schools and raise a family on just our W2 income. My dad provided for all four of us doing the 90s equivalent of my current job, and sure we didn't have cable and what vacations we took were all car-based, but my and my sister's college was fully paid for, we never wanted for necessities, and we had a 1700 sq ft house in a good school district.
Well, that is simply no longer possible on a single income, even a low six-figure one. To get the rewards I've busted my ass for thus far I have to look beyond my job. So unless economic circumstances change, said job is a 40 hour chore to keep the ship afloat while I spin up additional revenue streams. Outside of legitimate customer emergencies it will get all the commitment that my laundry gets (and my laundry is nicely folded). Any request for more better help me buy a house in a good school district or pay for my kids' college. I want nothing more than what my immediate Gen-X and Boomer co-workers have had for decades, and I'm sure as hell not going to lower my family's standard of living just to increase some middle manager's metrics.
Well, that is simply no longer possible on a single income, even a low six-figure one. To get the rewards I've busted my ass for thus far I have to look beyond my job. So unless economic circumstances change, said job is a 40 hour chore to keep the ship afloat while I spin up additional revenue streams. Outside of legitimate customer emergencies it will get all the commitment that my laundry gets (and my laundry is nicely folded). Any request for more better help me buy a house in a good school district or pay for my kids' college. I want nothing more than what my immediate Gen-X and Boomer co-workers have had for decades, and I'm sure as hell not going to lower my family's standard of living just to increase some middle manager's metrics.