Author Topic: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive  (Read 3549 times)

Malloy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 403
I know that not everyone will agree with the larger premise of the article, which is about basic income guarantees, but I loved this quote: “When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive,” which is very Mustachian.  For most on here, they plan on FIRE-ing themselves to support their own basic income, but the idea of finding freedom is very similar.



www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/05/what-if-everybody-didnt-have-to-work-to-get-paid/393428/

vivek440

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 117
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Jersey City, NJ, USA
    • Adventures of an Indian Couple after their Financial Independence
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2015, 01:34:53 PM »
but I loved this quote: “When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive,”

This has exactly been my feeling after FI - I still continue to work but the stress has drastically reduced because of which I have started enjoying my job. I have tried to capture the same feeling in my post below

https://lifeafterfi.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/update-on-our-fi-journey/

Gone Fishing

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2916
  • So Close went fishing on April 1, 2016
    • Journal
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2015, 01:45:23 PM »
Good thing there is no comment section.  It would be full of posts about how one could not possibly live off of $1000/mo.

velocistar237

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1424
  • Location: Metro Boston
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2015, 07:11:59 AM »
I saw that article and thought, I like that idea. Then I realized, I already have that.

Only problem: When I was motivated by fear, I worked. Now that I'm not motivated by fear, I'm not nearly as productive. Glad that's not universal.

Travis

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4219
  • Location: California
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2015, 04:32:34 PM »
While a lot of us working on FIRE are of the mindset "I will not be chained to the cubicle!" and working towards not caring whether we're employed or not, there is a lot to be said about investing in your employees and figuring out how to get them to enjoy their work.  If your only leadership trait is to beat your employees into submission, the minimum is the best you can expect from most of them.  There will be people who rise above it, but they'll be just as busy stabbing each other in the back for your approval as they are doing real work.

When people feel they are appreciated they tend to go the extra mile and your business will be better for it.  Supposedly there was a conversation between a tech giant CEO and one of his seniors where one of them was concerned about staff attrition.  The conversation went something like "What do we do if we spend all this money on this cutting-edge training for our employees and they just decide to go somewhere else?"  The other one responded with "What do we do if we don't train them and they stay?"

Evgenia

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Location: California
    • Evgenia Got FI
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2015, 04:56:02 PM »
Spartana, I needed your comment and LOL today. :) It makes me feel a little less crazy. I'm having a hard time being productive at work now that I know I have the ability to be free. It's a cash cow job, but it's still taking up too much time, causing stress, and getting in the way. I didn't expect it to happen, but it did.

Emilyngh

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 901
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2015, 05:24:51 PM »
I saw that article and thought, I like that idea. Then I realized, I already have that.

Only problem: When I was motivated by fear, I worked. Now that I'm not motivated by fear, I'm not nearly as productive. Glad that's not universal.
This would be me also. As a person who could live with a low income very happily (assuming I have already accumulated a sufficient stash as a back up and zero debt to be able to live with in the income given me and never have to work again) I would have a hard time being productive at work if I knew that I had the ability to be free.  Even if I loved my job it would take too much of my free time and I would choose not to work. I'd be like "screw you guys, I'm going home".

The thing is, I don't think we should confuse "being productive at your same traditional job" with "being productive."   

I have a job where I have about 3 mos off a year.   So, I feel like I can compare my productivity when I'm "working" with when I'm not "working."   And I'd say that I'm more productive in more meaningful ways when I don't have stupid crap sucking my time and mental energy (which I more often have when "working").   

While some jobs are obviously "productive," there are so many that are really not very (certainly not for the time required).   

Ricky

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: When people stop working out of fear, they become more productive
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2015, 05:32:23 PM »
Maybe fear doesn't make you more productive in itself, but being challenged and taking on new things that you're not comfortable with definitely (which may include fear) definitely increases productivity.

Even if you're "free" and don't have to work, challenging yourself is a worthwhile cause.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!