What busy professionals and the working poor have in common(chrisyeh.blogspot.com)
chrisyeh.blogspot.com
What busy professionals and the working poor have in common
http://chrisyeh.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-busy-professionals-and-working.html
12 comments
My wife's step-dad is a surgeon, and an excellent one. Very methodical and careful, as you'd expect a surgeon to be. But his home life is often quite chaotic. E.g. instead of paying his electric bill on time, he just writes a big check every six months and hopes it works out. The lack of mental bandwidth is definitely a real phenomenon.
This reminds me of Paul Graham's essay "Good and Bad Procrastination." [1] Maybe he's a type-C procrastinator.
[1] http://www.paulgraham.com/procrastination.html
[1] http://www.paulgraham.com/procrastination.html
It's very common to see doctors or professors who are very accomplished and intelligent but their car looks like something you'd see on Hoarders. They can be very, very eccentric and their personal habits can appear very strenge.
Do you have any more anecdotes like this? From him or from other people?
I personally find all the decisions I have to make outside of work exhausting. I loved having a cafeteria at work because I had like a handful of lunch choices instead of the frankly crippling array of choices available in midtown manhattan.
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A suggestion.
1. Create a separate, limited funds checking account explicitly for bill paying and the like. Replenish it periodically, as needed, but use it to keep larger balances out of reach.
2. Set up automatic payments against the limited funds account.
A significant one-time effort, but lower-bandwidth afterwards.
Alternatively, simply hire a part-time bookkeeper and/or accountant. Of course, this is also bandwidth-intensive, up front, and also demands attention to combat potential fraud.
1. Create a separate, limited funds checking account explicitly for bill paying and the like. Replenish it periodically, as needed, but use it to keep larger balances out of reach.
2. Set up automatic payments against the limited funds account.
A significant one-time effort, but lower-bandwidth afterwards.
Alternatively, simply hire a part-time bookkeeper and/or accountant. Of course, this is also bandwidth-intensive, up front, and also demands attention to combat potential fraud.
I probably can't justify a part-time accountant, but I'd love to pay someone say $500/month to come in, pay my household bills, make sure my car is registered, etc.
Jesus do I ever need this service too. What's worse is, it tends to fall on the shoulders of my spouse.
I've had my license suspended in more years than I've had it valid, and it's entirely because of stupid shit like not getting my sticker renewed (I have very few actual moving violations).
I've had my license suspended in more years than I've had it valid, and it's entirely because of stupid shit like not getting my sticker renewed (I have very few actual moving violations).
The worst is how they do it in Georgia, where a bunch of things expire on your birthday. "Here's a ticket for driving with expired tags and emissions inspection, happy birthday to you!"
Look at elder care services for inspiration/ideas.
There are substantial existing business models around helping people stay out of a nursing home with just a little extra kick. Its basically the same problem, although the root cause of the mental bandwidth restriction is somewhat different.
I have several elderly relatives who went thru / are going thru this kind of assistance.
The middleman business model is pretty much like the daycare racket, charge the end users (sometimes, insurance co.) $50/hr, pay the grunt who provides the service minimum wage, and pocket the rest as long as you can. Use lots of govt regulation / red tape to keep out competition. One significant fraud case and you're outta business so sheltering assets / LLC structuring is a VERY big deal.
Customer service is an issue... say the minimum wage helper forgets or otherwise fails to get the car registered, who eats the ticket cost, excessive towing/impound fee which often is designed to exceed the cost of a normal person's car, pain and suffering lawsuit, etc.
There are substantial existing business models around helping people stay out of a nursing home with just a little extra kick. Its basically the same problem, although the root cause of the mental bandwidth restriction is somewhat different.
I have several elderly relatives who went thru / are going thru this kind of assistance.
The middleman business model is pretty much like the daycare racket, charge the end users (sometimes, insurance co.) $50/hr, pay the grunt who provides the service minimum wage, and pocket the rest as long as you can. Use lots of govt regulation / red tape to keep out competition. One significant fraud case and you're outta business so sheltering assets / LLC structuring is a VERY big deal.
Customer service is an issue... say the minimum wage helper forgets or otherwise fails to get the car registered, who eats the ticket cost, excessive towing/impound fee which often is designed to exceed the cost of a normal person's car, pain and suffering lawsuit, etc.
I think those are called part time personal assistants.
Most busy professionals view the working poor who struggle from paycheck to paycheck with barely veiled contempt. These holier-than-thou Whole Foods shoppers marvel at the poor decisions of the poor, whether in consumption of fast food, using payday loans, or worst of all, buying lottery tickets.
Er, is this a Silicon Valley thing?
Er, is this a Silicon Valley thing?
Sadly, a lot of folks in Silicon Valley believe in a form of social Darwinism. "If you can't code, it's your own damn fault."
It's actually caused a lot of tension in the city of San Francisco.
It's actually caused a lot of tension in the city of San Francisco.
I often envy them ! (The employed ones.)
I blame the companies providing these services more than the consumers who sign up for them.
Big macs aren't the healthiest food choice by far, but expensive whisky isn't that healthy either. You see a whole lot more posturing against the former than the latter. Why? Status signalling.
The companies providing the service could argue that they are improving people's lives. Fast food give adequate calories fast. Payday loans give needed money fast. Of course both are not beneficial long term and have huge side effects, but you can't blame them. Except for lotteries. Lotteries you can blame the providers.
Which is the government.
Which is the government.
Lotteries (and insurance) allow one to trade first moment (expected value) for higher moments (variance and skewness). That someone with very little would try to increase his or her variance at the cost of a little bit of expected value makes sense. That someone with very much would trade some expected value for reducing his or her variance also maes sense.
It's also one of those situations where it actually does make sense for the government to intervene. A 2L bottle of Coke is cheaper than 2L of milk. Is it really any surprise when people buy the Coke instead?
But an $8 jar of almond butter makes perfect sense
Wherever it is, I'm very glad I don't live there.
Also, assuming the author does live there it seems a little hypocritical that he's criticising other's life choices.
Also, assuming the author does live there it seems a little hypocritical that he's criticising other's life choices.
>Also, assuming the author does live there it seems a little hypocritical that he's criticising other's life choices
I believe it would only be hypocritical if he were also making those choices and not owning up to it. Saying "I make good choices, you make bad" (not what I think the author is actually saying) is not, in itself, hypocritcal.
I believe it would only be hypocritical if he were also making those choices and not owning up to it. Saying "I make good choices, you make bad" (not what I think the author is actually saying) is not, in itself, hypocritcal.
I think what makes it seem hypocritical is that he's criticizing people for having a critical mindset. I don't think it's really hypocrisy though. He's not scornful or contemptuous in his criticism; it felt to me like he was trying to encourage people to be more understanding, both of the people around them, and of their own weaknesses.
Yes, my point is to persuade professionals to a) understand the plight of the working poor better, and b) do a better job of managing their own time poverty.
it is however, almost certainly, tempting fate.
Not that I know of.
"holier-than-thou Whole Foods shoppers" is just hyperbolic language designed to drive blog readership.
"holier-than-thou Whole Foods shoppers" is just hyperbolic language designed to drive blog readership.
"...marvel at the poor decisions of the poor" - I've always wondered if rich marvel at the bad decisions of the middle class in the same way. And what they see as the big mistakes keeping them from being rich. E.g. the problem with the middle class is they just don't understand the importance of entrepreneurship / capital gains / ???
I think they do. There are always people on higher rungs of the socio-economic ladder looking down at those on the lower runs and marveling about why they can't pull themselves up. Sometimes they are looking at people only one rung below.
I think rich people also marvel at the failure of the middle-class to not go to the right schools, make the right connections, marry into the right families, not take "full advantage of the tax code" (e.g., for Americans - bank offshore).
I think rich people also marvel at the failure of the middle-class to not go to the right schools, make the right connections, marry into the right families, not take "full advantage of the tax code" (e.g., for Americans - bank offshore).
And the thing is, they are right.
Although you're probably not wealthy enough to go to the right schools, you may be able to get in via scholarships.
Although a middle class pool of good connections is limited, there are ways for a creative person to seek out better ones, often by something as simple as changing their environment.
Tax code knowledge is useful and valuable, and can be learned if you're willing to put the time and effort into it.
My point is, if you wish to elevate yourself, you must first study those whose ranks you wish to join. Learn how they acquire, and, more importantly, keep their wealth and power, and find ways to do so yourself, even if you have to be scrappy to do it. The whole startup thing does just that in the business world.
There will always be things you are simply blocked from doing. Instead of focusing on how unfair that is, focus on the things you CAN do, even if it requires greater effort or a more creative approach than someone more privileged would need.
Although you're probably not wealthy enough to go to the right schools, you may be able to get in via scholarships.
Although a middle class pool of good connections is limited, there are ways for a creative person to seek out better ones, often by something as simple as changing their environment.
Tax code knowledge is useful and valuable, and can be learned if you're willing to put the time and effort into it.
My point is, if you wish to elevate yourself, you must first study those whose ranks you wish to join. Learn how they acquire, and, more importantly, keep their wealth and power, and find ways to do so yourself, even if you have to be scrappy to do it. The whole startup thing does just that in the business world.
There will always be things you are simply blocked from doing. Instead of focusing on how unfair that is, focus on the things you CAN do, even if it requires greater effort or a more creative approach than someone more privileged would need.
If I had to summarize the outlook toward the middle class of the rich people I've known over my lifetime, it would be more or less not understanding relationships between time and money. In about 50 zillion interpretations of it. Basically the middle class folks not understanding there is a relationship at all, other than obviously for hourly laborers.
This is aside from obvious cultural differences WRT the type of status symbols and such.
This is aside from obvious cultural differences WRT the type of status symbols and such.
What exactly is the relationship between time and money you're referring to? Is it the time value of money? Honestly curious.
I guess in one line it would boil down to only their (rich) social group knows how to properly estimate, divide the estimates, and compare the results. Or knowing that such comparisons are possible between pretty wide ranging subjects, rather than making decisions by just following the herd. With that inability as a rationalization for why they're poor and we're rich or source of humor. Or something like that.
Could you give an example of such a comparison?
Are you saying rich people are better able to estimate the risks and trade-offs for their decisions?
Are you saying rich people are better able to estimate the risks and trade-offs for their decisions?
Typical example would be car choice. Middle class dude selects based on TV commercials, friends opinions, and conspicuous consumption, ending up with a giant pickup truck typically, however most rich dudes drive something quite a bit more modest.
I should point out I'm talking more about "people who become rich on their own" rather than lucky lotto winners or lucky selection of parent or trophy spouse or whatever.
I should point out I'm talking more about "people who become rich on their own" rather than lucky lotto winners or lucky selection of parent or trophy spouse or whatever.
I have noticed this trend at many work places. Often the people who appear to be working the "hardest", are the people that have spun their work lives into a tapestry of chaos. Their schedules and workload are so intensely unmanaged that the only thing they manage to do is commit to more things.
Unfortunately this sort of behavior is often encouraged by higher ups, because it looks like you are doing a lot. However, I think it's obvious that spending a lot of time in the office doesn't equate to getting a lot done.
Unfortunately this sort of behavior is often encouraged by higher ups, because it looks like you are doing a lot. However, I think it's obvious that spending a lot of time in the office doesn't equate to getting a lot done.
I enjoyed reading this article (and am excited to read future comments) because it resonates almost exactly with my current lifestyle and way of thinking.
This happened to me ~8 years ago. Solution was to spend 5k on a solo trip, all economy/hostel accommodations with a single backpack, walking around Europe (Poland, Budapest, Portugal) with a quick trip to Japan. Inner peace levels and happiness went up 10x what a 20k bonus ever provided me. It also helps to realize how small we are, how truly big an impact we can make by via technology, and that every single person you love, respect, run into will eventually die in some misery, with regret that brings tears to their eyes no matter how well they lived. So enjoy yourself, but don't take it too easy.
I'm a solutions engineer for tech startups which is generally very fun, challenging work, but tech really is like heroin (wasn't there a HN link about it?) and needs to be kept in-line.
If you anyone wants suggestions re. Europe travel, I'd be happy to share.
This happened to me ~8 years ago. Solution was to spend 5k on a solo trip, all economy/hostel accommodations with a single backpack, walking around Europe (Poland, Budapest, Portugal) with a quick trip to Japan. Inner peace levels and happiness went up 10x what a 20k bonus ever provided me. It also helps to realize how small we are, how truly big an impact we can make by via technology, and that every single person you love, respect, run into will eventually die in some misery, with regret that brings tears to their eyes no matter how well they lived. So enjoy yourself, but don't take it too easy.
I'm a solutions engineer for tech startups which is generally very fun, challenging work, but tech really is like heroin (wasn't there a HN link about it?) and needs to be kept in-line.
If you anyone wants suggestions re. Europe travel, I'd be happy to share.
Agree re: 'keeping tech in its place' in life.
I've got an interesting solution (described a bit in my hn profile). I work a few months in the states with clients each year, do a bit more work remote, but slightly over the majority of each year I'm not working, and instead I live in my house in Pacific-coast south america. When I do work remote, it's mostly via screen and emacs over a 10k/s connection with occasional 20-minute commutes for videoconferencing/screen-sharing (although that's changing now that a neighbor and I have gone halves on a microwave setup).
I've been doing this for the past 7 years, and I love it. Each year, I'm excited twice: about flying back down to South America/seeing my friends again/glassy, heavy, warm-water surf ... and about going back to 'civilization'/seeing family/coffee/morning scrums/open-plan offices/Aeron chairs/slaying giants.
This year I split my workload between being remote 2 months and in the states about the same, and it's been a blast.
I've got an interesting solution (described a bit in my hn profile). I work a few months in the states with clients each year, do a bit more work remote, but slightly over the majority of each year I'm not working, and instead I live in my house in Pacific-coast south america. When I do work remote, it's mostly via screen and emacs over a 10k/s connection with occasional 20-minute commutes for videoconferencing/screen-sharing (although that's changing now that a neighbor and I have gone halves on a microwave setup).
I've been doing this for the past 7 years, and I love it. Each year, I'm excited twice: about flying back down to South America/seeing my friends again/glassy, heavy, warm-water surf ... and about going back to 'civilization'/seeing family/coffee/morning scrums/open-plan offices/Aeron chairs/slaying giants.
This year I split my workload between being remote 2 months and in the states about the same, and it's been a blast.
Didn't see an email in your profile so thought I'd reply here. I'd love to get some advice about travel in Europe and travel to Japan. I'm living in Austria and want to see this place while I have unrestricted travel =D
I as well would like to subscribe to imperialdrive's newsletter.
What's the best way to contact you? I'd like to go on a similar trip in 2014 and I'd like to get your suggestions.
I agree with your points, however, the major differences is what each spends their 60 hour work weeks on.
The busy professional works on activities that has social prestige (even if it is a lot of useless meetings and e-mail) and ultimately, these activities build career capital which can be leveraged. Not to mention, they pay a lot more.
The working poor may also work 60 hour weeks, but their work does not carry social prestige, build career capital, or pay particularly well. Ultimately, their work can not really be leveraged into opportunities to focus on the big picture.
Again, I agree from a cognitive processing view that yes, both the working poor and the busy professional partake in activities that distract from higher value work, but the latter has much more opportunity to give himself breathing room to focus.
Good post!
The busy professional works on activities that has social prestige (even if it is a lot of useless meetings and e-mail) and ultimately, these activities build career capital which can be leveraged. Not to mention, they pay a lot more.
The working poor may also work 60 hour weeks, but their work does not carry social prestige, build career capital, or pay particularly well. Ultimately, their work can not really be leveraged into opportunities to focus on the big picture.
Again, I agree from a cognitive processing view that yes, both the working poor and the busy professional partake in activities that distract from higher value work, but the latter has much more opportunity to give himself breathing room to focus.
Good post!
Very few poor people work 60 hour work weeks. Many of them would love to work 60 hour weeks but are stuck working 31 hour weeks. They'd love to grab two 31 hour jobs, but of course they don't know their hours until just before they work them so it's impossible to actually work 2 part time jobs.
The reason they have reduced cognitive bandwidth is because their mind is occupied worrying about money instead of relaxing during down time.
And for many poor people, those 31 hour jobs are jobs that should be mentally relaxing. To a rich person, sweeping the floor is a job that lets you zone out and rest your brain. But if you're stressed about something, it just gives your mind more time to dwell on it.
The reason they have reduced cognitive bandwidth is because their mind is occupied worrying about money instead of relaxing during down time.
And for many poor people, those 31 hour jobs are jobs that should be mentally relaxing. To a rich person, sweeping the floor is a job that lets you zone out and rest your brain. But if you're stressed about something, it just gives your mind more time to dwell on it.
The ones who really get screwed are the ones who do work 60 hours per week but not at one job (so they don't get benefits from any). Unfortunately, they're not so very few.
> the latter has much more opportunity to give himself breathing room to focus
At first this just seemed like a kind of self-congratulatory post: 'Yes, sure, cognitive bandwidth is a finite limit that affects kings and beggars alike, but at least I'm accomplishing something with my life.' But then you pulled out this whopper.
Do you honestly think that someone who is concerned about feeding their children or paying their rent has more free time and bandwidth? Working professionals have their own, imagined stresses associated with pumping up their own importance, but these are much higher up Maslow's heirarchy than basic physical needs.
At first this just seemed like a kind of self-congratulatory post: 'Yes, sure, cognitive bandwidth is a finite limit that affects kings and beggars alike, but at least I'm accomplishing something with my life.' But then you pulled out this whopper.
Do you honestly think that someone who is concerned about feeding their children or paying their rent has more free time and bandwidth? Working professionals have their own, imagined stresses associated with pumping up their own importance, but these are much higher up Maslow's heirarchy than basic physical needs.
I think the comment you're replying to says exactly the reverse of what you think it does.
1. Not "... but at least I'm accomplishing something in my life" but "... but the busy professionals have an important advantage: the stuff they're frantically doing is valued by other people, so that it gets them more money and more social status".
2. It's the busy professional, not the overworked underpaid poor person, that the comment says has "more opportunity to give himself breathing room to focus".
1. Not "... but at least I'm accomplishing something in my life" but "... but the busy professionals have an important advantage: the stuff they're frantically doing is valued by other people, so that it gets them more money and more social status".
2. It's the busy professional, not the overworked underpaid poor person, that the comment says has "more opportunity to give himself breathing room to focus".
My god, that was easy to misread (not your post, GP). I realize he was referring to the immediately preceding sentence, where he inverted the order from the much more prominent list. Sorry GP.
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I am not sure but I think you are trying to say:
We should not forget that professionals have a lot more advantages than the working poor.
Comparing them in this way is useful, but may hide the serious problems and lack of opportunity that the working poor suffer: professionals inflict this problem on themselves where the working poor have limited choices.
We should not forget that professionals have a lot more advantages than the working poor.
Comparing them in this way is useful, but may hide the serious problems and lack of opportunity that the working poor suffer: professionals inflict this problem on themselves where the working poor have limited choices.
One thing I keep coming back to is meditation. I believe it has improved my productivity by being more in the moment, getting distracted less easily and being more accountable with my mental bandwith.
Now if I could just curb my hackernews addiction...
Now if I could just curb my hackernews addiction...
It's a type of meditation that allows your mind to wander. Simultaneously you pick up interesting bits of information and you practice your written communication skills by writing clear and concise replies.
If some activity satisfies some short term need, it's probably not meditation...
I'm not an expert on meditation in any way, but for me the goal is an inner peace, an inner tranquility that allows me to have a razor sharp focus on the things I'm working on.
Re: What they've discovered is that shortages lead people to make poor decisions. That's because the brain can only process so much.
That's a real problem. Interestingly, I've experienced the opposite while working on several things in parallel - not having "enough time" forces you to make decisions instantly.
That's a real problem. Interestingly, I've experienced the opposite while working on several things in parallel - not having "enough time" forces you to make decisions instantly.
But in retrospect, is it possible you would have made "better" (however you may define that) decisions if you had time to think about the decisions rather than making them instantly?
Also, a lot of people delay important decision-making when they lack time - or simply never make a much-needed decision at all, thus staying trapped, financially, professionally, personally. . .
Also, a lot of people delay important decision-making when they lack time - or simply never make a much-needed decision at all, thus staying trapped, financially, professionally, personally. . .
I tend to over-analyze... So, my quick gut decisions are usually better.
The tone of the first paragraph was jarring. "Most professionals" are classist, judgmental pieces of shit? What?
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This is ridiculous