Why "don't do more than 4 hours/day" is a bad advice for most people

I'm not gonna mention the name of this very popular self-help book, written by a person I like to call a "trole model".<br><br>I have a feeling that this idea (don't work more than 4 hours a day) is pushed a bit too hard, especially in the context of being "lazy" (you know, "don't work more than 4 hours a day, it's probably unhealthy for you to work more than that, too!" <br>It's pushed especially hard in the context of remote work, especially for the "cool kids" in "cool startups" who think they can set their own hours and have plenty of free time for "self-care" and "fun" activities, while still making a lot of money.<br><br>I'm not gonna argue that it's "bad" to work 4 hours a day (or less) "all the time". It can be "bad" for a lot of people, though. In this post, I'd like to discuss why.<br><br>**Why "don't work more than 4 hours a day" is a bad advise for people who are still learning their job (or profession)**<br><br>I'm not gonna argue that this idea can't be useful if you're a "senior" in your field. However, most people do not work senior jobs. This idea is not very helpful if you're a beginner in your field.<br><br>When I entered the workforce, I was an absolute beginner. I had a lot to learn on the job. I was not productive at all at first, but I had to work hard to learn my profession. It was helping me "grow" in a sense that I learned what I had to do to become a better employee.<br><br>It doesn't "feel good" to be bad at your job, but it's a temporary "pain" you have to go through if you want to become "better". Some jobs are more difficult to learn than others, but you can't learn a job in a few hours a day.<br><br>**Why "don't work more than 4 hours a day" is a bad advise if you're trying to acquire a "difficult" skill**<br><br>Some jobs require skills that are not very easy to acquire. The two examples that come to my mind are learning "foreign languages" and "programming".<br><br>By "difficulty", I don't mean that it's "difficult" for some people to do them. What I mean is that some skills simply require more time and practice by default.<br><br>For example, if you want to learn a new programming language, you'll have to put in a lot of time to learn the basics.<br><br>You can't just learn programming in 4 hours a day, especially if you're a beginner. On the other hand, it's not "difficult" to learn programming if you put in the time. "Difficult" skills are often very rewarding to learn, so you should put in extra time to learn them.<br><br>**Why "don't work more than 4 hours a day" is a bad advise if your "senior" coworkers work "longer" hours**<br><br>Some jobs require you to work "longer" hours, especially when you're a beginner. This doesn't mean you have to "overdo it", but you have to put in extra time if you want to become "better" in your field.<br><br>For example, I have worked as a software developer for many years. In "senior" roles, my more senior colleagues were putting in a lot more hours than me. At first, I thought it was "weird", but then I realized that they had a lot more responsibilities.<br><br>They were leading teams and working on big projects, which required more time and effort. I also had to put in extra time if I wanted to "grow" in my profession. I probably wouldn't achieve my goals if I worked only 4 hours a day.<br><br>**Why "don't work more than 4 hours a day" is a bad advise if you're working for the "greater good"**<br><br>I choose to work in "helping professions" (like healthcare, education, psychology). "Helping" professions often require more time and effort.<br><br>You can't help others if you're "lazy" or not putting in enough time. Some jobs are simply more demanding than others, even if some people think they're "difficult" to do.<br><br>In "helping" professions, you have to put in extra time if you want to achieve your goals. You have to work harder if you want to "grow" in your profession.<br><br>**Why "don't work more than 4 hours a day" is a bad advise for "creative" people**<br><br>I'm not a very creative person. I have a very logical brain, but I do realize that "creativity" requires more time and effort.<br><br>Some "creative" jobs (like writing, art, music) require more time and practice. You can't become a better "creative" person if you're "lazy".<br><br>"Creativity" requires a lot of time and effort, even if some people think it's "difficult" to do. "Difficult" jobs are often very rewarding to learn, so you should put in extra time to learn them.<br><br>In conclusion, I think "don't work more than 4 hours a day" is a bad advice for most people. <br><br>&#x200B;