On the same point, this is one of my primary frustrations as a sysadmin, because sometimes I need to be available lickety-split, but sometimes I need to be in deep focus mode, but my office environment isn&#x27;t very conducive to deep focus mode... so sometimes I have to disappear myself to a hidden place just to get some thinking in.<p>Or, what happens more often, is that my productivity suffers and I end up staying late till everyone has gone away so I can actually not be interrupted.<p>Also, I really don&#x27;t like shared open office spaces, and as a vet with ptsd, I really don&#x27;t like having my back turned to the door, but management wants to be able to see everyones screen as they walk by.<p>While we are talking about overworked, the other issue that bugs me is disparity in expected work vs pay. To me, employment is a contract of goods and services. You pay me money to get a job done at a certain level. If you want me to be superman, you better pay me more like it! Instead, I continually hear the guys who have worked at a place more than 15 years say &quot;You have to put in the work and effort and then hope they give you that raise, perk, etc...&quot;.<p>I don&#x27;t think the baby-boomer generation realizes that there is no such thing as company loyalty in the big scheme of things anymore, especially in an at-will state. I&#x27;m tired of employees bending over backwards because they bring no power to the negotiating table on just about anything. I have a personal life and identity that is completely separate from work and I intend to keep it that way. If you pay me enough I would reconsider my work life balance, but I&#x27;m not going to do it for free and hope for it, it needs to be a deal struck in agreement between both parties and in contract form.<p>If there is one thing I could encourage we teach IT workers, it&#x27;s the power of learning how contract law works, and all the stuff that comes with that. (eg: no you don&#x27;t have to sign that, yes you can amend it, no that TOS is bad and unenforceable, that falls under the UCC, etc)