Over the next two weeks, a lot of people will try to unplug from work, or at least delay answering emails until 2018. But Nathan Hubbard, former CEO of Ticketmaster, thinks we all should work more during the holidays.
Hubbard tweeted this depressingly bad take a week before Christmas: “Whatever you’re hustling for, take note: most people/companies are shut down until ‘18. That means you get 2 extra weeks to outwork your competition. That’s 3.8% more time. For perspective: Usain Bolt won his gold medals running 1.2% faster. These 2 weeks are a gift. Get to work.”
Whatever you’re hustling for, take note: most people/companies are shut down until ‘18. That means you get 2 extra weeks to outwork your competition. That’s 3.8% more time. For perspective: Usain Bolt won his gold medals running 1.2% faster. These 2 weeks are a gift. Get to work.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) December 18, 2017
Sure, even if you are lucky enough to get two whole weeks off at a full-time job (which isn’t most people—the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports U.S. employees receive an average of seven paid holidays per year), most of us need some sort of break or vacation, especially after a grueling year like 2017. This is not the time to advocate for doing more work.
Hubbard’s advice, which was seen as a harmful display of the type of work ethic encouraged by tech companies, was sharply criticized across Twitter.
Literally the worst advice I've seen in years. Recharging is essential to getting ahead. Endless crunch destroys your life. https://t.co/QDTCwMeyPz
— 🇺🇦 Chris 🇺🇦 Charla 🇺🇦 (@iocat) December 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/chartier/status/942998928559140864
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) December 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/ThatWeissGuy/status/943110673919303680
Don't forget to skip your allotted vacation days, too. Hell, why even sleep? You'll always remember beating your competition on your deathbed https://t.co/6k0oFtjq7W
— Catherine Clark (@enidjcoleslaw) December 19, 2017
Please don’t think that there is any value in this approach, whatsoever. Rest is important. The myth that success comes to those who work the most hours is just that — a myth. And a harmful one. https://t.co/eTKkWKqS3t
— Mark Imbriaco (@markimbriaco) December 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/travelinglens/status/943169643639984128
I'm hustling to sleep 8 hours/night and more time with friends and family. Life's not just about work. https://t.co/X8Kk8WFkrd
— Karen K. Ho (@karenkho) December 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/BigMeanInternet/status/943110288244690944
yeah nah im gonna drink in the sun and play with my kids but have fun ignoring yours for 3.8% of hustle https://t.co/O6vDzFdruV
— wheels (@wheelswordsmith) December 19, 2017
And the Usain Bolt example was bad. Very bad.
https://twitter.com/dysinger/status/943020737295609856
https://twitter.com/HealthUntoDeath/status/943052107946577921
“Sleep is extremely important to me — I need to rest and recover in order for the training I do to be absorbed by my body.” – Usain Bolt
— 🇺🇦 Andrew 'Optimisey' 🇺🇦 (@Optimisey) December 19, 2017
Working 24/7, 365 days a year will get you somewhere faster… the grave.
So is Hubbard planning to work over these next two weeks? Not exactly.
I ❤️u, rage twitter. I’ll be in Hawaii with my kids. Here’s to the hustlers – I’ll be hustling to lose five pounds. Make your own choices. Do your thing.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) December 19, 2017
That’s right. He will be in Hawaii.