Americans are workaholics because of the rich using the media to spread the message of the value of hard work. They talk about how great the “American Dream” is and they encourage you to work hard to provide for you and your family.
America is not the No. 1 in terms of hours worked. America is number 12 in the number of hours worked, according to the OECD. However, the data is misleading. Mexico may be the number one in terms of hours worked, but they consistently rank in the lower tier in worker productivity.
Americans are workaholics not because of the amount of hours worked but because of the pressure to produce as much as you can in those hours worked. Which is even worse than if you had taken your time to finish your work in the first place.
Billionaires today tout the myth that hard work is what’s necessary to get you to success. So if you get inspiration from them, you end up believing that BS, too. The goal is to work less hours and earn more money. Not earn more money by working more hours.
Americans are workaholics because the multimillionaires and the rich tout this idea of hard work so their employees can work harder for them and make them richer. If you work hard, do as you’re told, and put in the hours, your boss gets richer. Not you.
It’s time to dispel the workaholic myths.
Americans are Workaholics: 3 Reasons Why
Below are 3 concrete reasons why Americans are workaholics.
1) The Media
The ultra-wealthy and the government has a vested interest in keeping you working hard for as much as you can. The business owners need hard work out of you so they can be richer themselves. The government needs hard work out of you so you can prop up the economy.
Both entities use the media against you to brainwash you into thinking hard work is necessary to get to the American Dream. That’s poppycock. The rich understand that the way to be rich isn’t trading hours for dollars. It’s by investing capital.
A W-2 employee has a harder chance of becoming wealthy versus a business owner with asset ownership. The media doesn’t tout this and highlight this important fact. Instead, they dispel the myth that putting in the hours is what elevates you upwards.
It isn’t. We only have a limited number of hours in the day. Americans are workaholics because of the media.
2) Americans are Workaholics because of the Baby Boomer Generation
The Baby Boomer generation lived in an outdated working model where hard work was rewarded. Back then, hard work was rewarded. Employees could get a working wage job from a high school degree alone. Nowadays, while it’s possible, it’s not nearly enough.
Everyone can get a high school degree. The Baby Boomer generation worked hard and got ample rewards from it because productivity actually matched wages back then. it doesn’t even come close anymore. The productivity/wage gap is so wide, it is unfathomable.
Americans are workaholics because the Baby Boomer generation “teaches” and tells the younger generation that’s what’s necessary for success. That’s how you get the American Dream! Back then, it was possible through hard work alone.
These days, it’s not so much. Living has become way too expensive for hard work alone to carry us upwards.
3) The Laws are not Employee Friendly
The United States’ courts are generally favorable to employers. Employee/employer disputes usually has the employer winning on the other side. Not to mention how much more company companies have versus employees in the first place.
Companies can legally punish employees for insubordination. Employees can be classified as “non-exempt” so if you work any time above the standard 40 hour workweek, companies don’t have to pay overtime. Employees just have to do what they’re told because almost no one is on their side.
Companies shut down locations with a union. Chipotle shut down stores in which they saw union activity. It’s an uphill battle for employees to win their case and even if they win, it may take years before they see any benefit or return. The law is not on the employee’s side.
Americans are workaholics because the law almost forces them to be.
Americans are Workaholics: What to Do About it
You don’t have to follow the crowd! Just because Americans are workaholics, it doesn’t mean you have to be. There are numerous ways to fight back and get a good work life balance for yourself.
1) Make Sure You are Compensated for the Value You Bring
You don’t get paid for figuring out how to solve a problem in 5 minutes. You get paid for the years it took to figure out how to solve that problem in 5 minutes. That’s the difference. You should always look to get paid based on your results, not your effort.
Once you get paid for the results you bring, there’s less need to work more hours. Dentists get paid for the value they bring. Some of them work a 30 hour work week because they already make so much money already. Americans are workaholics because they don’t get paid for their value.
They get paid for their effort and hours they put in. That’s not right. If no one complains you’re charging too much, you’re not charging enough. Just because you are an employee doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate your way to better compensation levels.
The amount of headaches and problems you solve is immense. It’s worth more than what you’re getting paid today.
2) Americans are Workaholics? Take your Vacation Days
A record 768 MILLION vacation days went unused in 2018. That is billions of dollars that go down the drain every single year. Americans are workaholics because they just don’t take their vacation days. They want to “make a good impression” on the bosses.
Companies are doing the “unlimited vacation” structure. News flash. Employees take less vacation with unlimited vacation than if they had a set number of vacation in the first place. Companies know this. They “encourage” employees to take their vacations but sometimes, it’s not easy to do so.
You have too much work throughout the months or something always comes up during work. The number one way to fight working too much is to take your vacation days. Your company and you agreed that the vacation days are good to be taken by you.
We already get paid less than what we deserve, we shouldn’t have to give away our time as well.
3) Make the Most of Your Weekends
There are people who work during weekends. Weekends are your time. Business owners created weekends for their employees because productivity nosedives without breaks. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to take advantage of your weekend as much as you can.
Americans are workaholics because they use their weekend time to work. Not for themselves but for their employer. There’s nothing wrong with working on the weekends occasionally. However, there’s something wrong with working the weekends frequently.
You don’t want to work for a company who forces weekend work.
Investment bankers constantly work weekends but that’s not the right way to go. Their compensation was dramatically cut in 2023. Which means all that weekend work was for nothing. Companies just notice your weekend work but rarely reward it.
You don’t want to give your all for a company who gives so little in return.
4) Move to Another Company
Taking a pay cut for less stress is never worth it. However, if your current company overworks you, then it’s time to move to another company. Take a pay increase for less stress. Too many people equate high pay with a high workload. That’s not always a direct correlation.
$200k jobs working 40 hours a week ARE out there. No matter what anyone else tells you. Americans are workaholics because they stay at a toxic work environment for so long. There’s no point. One of my prior coworker was making $420k/yr working just 40 hours a week.
Life’s too short to work for a toxic work environment. The money is one thing but there’s better opportunities down the road. If employees leave after 6 months, it says more so about the company more than anything else.
There’s nothing wrong with switching jobs often if there’s a good reason and story behind it.
5) Be More Efficient in Your Work
If you can get the same amount of work done with less hours, then that prevents you from being a workaholic. Americans are workaholics because they are not efficient at their work. You can easily get more done by putting in less hours throughout your job.
Your job is to figure out how to do so. When you invest the time to figure out how to do so, then the world opens up to you. Your bosses can’t say anything because it’s just that you were that good. I personally try very hard to get my work finished between 8am – 12pm. Why?
I know my body. After lunch time, my body and mind is too busy digesting the food that I ate. It makes me feel inefficient. After I implemented this new work schedule, my work’s never been more efficient. I was already getting efficient because I was getting used to my job.
I got even more efficient because of this new work schedule.
6) Americans are Workaholics? Try Quiet Quitting
Quiet quitting is when you do no more work than is necessary to keep your job. You’re not trying to get promoted and make partner in 5 years. All you want to do is work your hours and go home. Americans are workaholics because they go above and beyond for their job.
For a company who’ll replace them in a second if it fits their interests. Companies don’t care about you, all they care about is the bottom line. Quiet quitting is a great phenomenon by workers to take the power back to the employees.
If there’s no adequate rewards to match your performance and your effort, then what’s the point? There’s no point in going above and beyond. There’s many times when I went above and beyond hoping for a big payoff but got disappointed, come year end reviews.
Quiet quitting is a great tactical way to match performance with hours you work.
7) Diversify Your Income Source
There’s no point in putting all your eggs in one basket. When you diversify your income source, you can walk away from your job easily. If companies fire you, all you do is sign the papers and let other income sources pay for your life.
Americans are workaholics because they don’t diversify their income sources. They think the good times last forever and are happy being dependent on their employer. Self dependency is what positions you to succeed, nothing else.
We shouldn’t depend on anyone else but ourselves because no one is coming to save us. Not the government, not our parents, not our children. But ourselves. When you have the power of multiple income sources, the world opens up to you.
You can take more risks which leads to more opportunities for upward mobility.
Americans are Workaholics but You Don’t Have to be
You don’t have to subscribe to the work hard until 65 and then enjoy your life. There’s more to life than work. Americans are workaholics because the media brainwashes them into believing that’s the path to a good life. It’s not. The path to a good life is to never work while the money rolls in.
Trading hours for dollars is not a good model to follow. Millions of Americans and employees across the world follow this model. However, that’s not the case. Even the billionaires who got there through a 9-5 got there because they owned equity in the company they worked for.
Even though companies pay executives millions of dollars, it means nothing if they can’t leverage other resources like employees. We live in a capitalist society where capital wins in the end. The ones who don’t understand this about money are doomed to be a W-2 employee for life.
Americans are workaholics but you don’t have to be because there are many ways to combat the effects of paid employment. My personal favorite is to create multiple income sources. I love having multiple people pay me money every single month.
My bank, my blog, and my investments pay me money every single month for doing nothing but sitting there. One day, I’ll choose to work because I want to and not because I have to. Then I won’t have to devote and commit so much of my time towards working for a company, unless the company is that good.
You have limitless options to work with. You don’t always have to chain yourself to paid employment.
Americans are Workaholics: What to Do About it Shortlist
- Make sure you are compensated for the value you bring
- Americans are workaholics? Take your vacation days
- Make the most of your weekends
- Move to another company
- Be more efficient in your work
- Americans are workaholics? Try quiet quitting
- Diversify your income source
