A Reddit user, who appears to be living everyone’s dream work-life balance, has revealed he was still dissatisfied. The user, claiming an annual income of $80,000 (approximately Rs 66 lakh), said he completes his monthly tasks within a single ‘real week,’ leaving the remaining time for activities such as watching TV, listening to podcasts, and browsing the internet.
In a post that has garnered significant attention, the user detailed his journey from struggling to keep up due to a lack of formal training to becoming a top performer. He wrote, “I’ve become so efficient at my job that I only put in about one real week of work every month. The rest of the time, I’m just watching TV shows, listening to podcasts, or diving into random rabbit holes online.”
The user explained that when he first started, he struggled to keep up due to a lack of formal education in the field. But now he has mastered essential skills such as typing at 75 words per minute with near-perfect accuracy, streamlining workflows by replacing industry-standard software with Excel, and producing exceptionally clear reports.
He further shared, “No one complains. In fact, I’m the top performer at my company. I have the best relationships with clients, I meet all my deadlines, and my work is spotless. But the truth is, I only really work for about one week each month. The other three weeks, I just kind of… exist.”
Despite this apparent success and the abundance of free time, the user expressed a growing sense of boredom and dissatisfaction. “I used to read a ton, too. One year, I read 200 books. I have done deep dives into every topic I care about. And now? I’m just bored,” he confessed, adding, “I thought doing everything right would feel good. I am overachieving and underworked, and somehow I feel worse than when I was struggling.”
The Reddit user concluded his post by suggesting that their situation transcends the popular concept of “quiet quitting,” where employees do the bare minimum required. “Quiet quitting isn’t even the right term. It’s more like silent burnout,” he wrote.
The post quickly went viral, sparking a wide range of reactions from social media users. Many envied the seemingly easy workload and high salary, while others suggested making the best use of the time and money.
“Been there and done that. It was amazing. Enjoy it while it lasts. Eventually, you may need to get a different job, or the situation may change. It’s one of those you really know what you have until it is gone,” read a comment.
Another said, “Similar situation, I bought a walking pad and started working on certifications to further my career and earning potential.”
“Find a way to supplement your income during that downtime. Time is money. Make your money work for you,” suggested a user.
An account remarked, “You are living my dream. Treasure your lucky in being able to get paid to do relatively much less. Find your passion outside of work but do not walk away from this sweet set up.”
“I make 85k and probably do between 4-8 hours of actual work a week. It is very boring and draining just existing 32-36 hours a week at my office,” shared a user.
Another stated, “Start working on your retirement. Make more money at a second job and stash it all away. Use your time to find an excellent financial advisor, start investing as much as you can and be one of those people who retire in Bali or Paris or wherever. Figure out how you want the rest of your life to look after working and then go do that.”
What would you do if you were in this situation?