About Work, Personal Life, and Values

Holidays are coming. People debate how many days off we need, or deserve.

At the heart of this discussion there are two distinct layers.

1. A Set of Practical Problems. 

Very concrete, pragmatic questions:

Why do public-sector employees need more vacation days than those in the private sector?

Why do they receive special pensions?

Who actually works on January 5th?

Why is January 6th a public holiday?

Is “making up” lost workdays a real practice, or just a global illusion?

Do we need 35 or 56 holidays per year? 30 or 50 work hours per week?

These are not minor details. They affect productivity, fairness, and how we organize our economic life.

2. A Question of Principle — and Culture

Beyond the practicalities, there’s a deeper issue at stake: a cultural one.

What values do we truly believe in and promote as a society?

Do we value work and results?

Or do we prioritize free time, rest, and relaxation?

It’s an interesting topic—and a nuanced one.

There’s a popular urban myth that corporatists (and public servants) have job security, stable income, unions, and a comfortable 9-to-5 schedule. But that’s not always how it works.

Sometimes it means working so hard your head spins—and carrying unused vacation days for five years straight. At one point, I personally had accumulated around a hundred unused vacation days. I’ve even forgotten the exact number (today, that wouldn’t be legal anymore).

I was working roughly 14 hours a day, weekends included. Those hours didn’t count, of course—we weren’t allowed to record them officially. And yet, it was fine.

I fit that lifestyle well. So did most in my generation, and many of those who build careers in corporations, in the Big Four, in McKinsey, KPMG, GE, and similar.

Also, Entrepreneurship Isn’t Always Burnout

Entrepreneurship doesn’t always mean working 20 hours a day without vacations.

Some people choose entrepreneurship—or, more often, freelancing—precisely because they want 60 days of vacation per year. Of course, not the same people who thrive on nonstop work.

Surely, the big advantage of entrepreneurship remains true: on weekends, you can start your workday whenever you want.

Back to the Core Question

What are the values of our society?

Do we prioritize free time and personal life?

Or work and results?

The answer isn’t simple—and perhaps it shouldn’t be. But it’s a conversation worth having.