Climb the ladder

ORIANA LUKAS | opinions with oriana

Wake up. Go to work. Answer emails.

Go home. Sleep.

Redo.

This is the standard day for many adults who try to find a place in the fast-paced, consuming corporate work environment. The common saying “climbing up the corporate ladder” refers to putting in an immense amount of effort to get from an entry level position to the top position of a specified career. Who wouldn’t want the highest paid position, with the most recognition? While it may seem like the ideal way to live, it can be incredibly time-consuming and draining.

Maggie Curry, a senior political science major going into the Army after graduation, said this mentality is a predominant cause for burn out.

“I think overall we have a very strong ‘workuntil-you’re-dead’ mentality, while other cultures prioritize time off,” Curry said. “This leads to burnout and overall unhappiness, especially if people are trapped in a field they don’t like and have to do every day.”

Western societies have consistently pushed this ideology for years. The term “American Dream” was coined in 1931 in “The Epic of America” by James Truslow Adams which described America as the land where there are endless equal opportunities for everyone. Though in theory this idea signifies prosperity, it’s also created a warped mentality.

According to the BBC, Western societies value personal success over group success. This idea creates the mindset that one has to work for themselves and only themselves. In turn, this creates an overconfidence in self performance with 94% of American professors claiming they were better than average according to the BBC. So, in theory, if everyone is better than average, imagine the exhaustion that comes from trying to compete with everyone else in the working world. Curry said she can see how it’s easy to fall into competition, especially with her field.

“In the Army you’re always focused on promotion,” Curry said. “You want to make sure you do your tasks well for the good, but will always be trying to one up each other so you don’t fall behind.”

This mentality also plays a role in declining mental health. CNBC published an article in 2019 saying working eight hours a week is optimal for increased mental health. This number seems shocking, but a study done by the University of Cambridge and the University of Salford looked at the link between life-satisfaction, mental health and working hours.

CORPORATE LADDER , page 20 from CORPORATE LADDER , page 19

They looked at a group of middle-aged adults in the UK and found that with a looser work regimen, their risk of poor mental health was reduced by 30%

While poor mental health was shown to decrease, the results of the study showed the participants felt more satisfied with at least 20 hours of work a week, especially for the women. This is a slight increase from eight hours but still a major decrease from the typical 40-hour work week.

As college students approach this competitive environment, it’s important to recognize this mentality is not meant for everyone. Students are trying to navigate what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Though, who really knows at the age of 22? The idea that young adults have to know their path and are pushed into a fast-paced work environment they haven’t experienced before seems unfathomable and unrealistic.

“Overall, I think it’s a hard line to draw,” Curry said. “If you love your job that’s great, but the most important thing is a work-life balance. If you don’t have that, you won’t be successful because you’ll burn out and want to leave. Going into my job, that will be something I will focus on .”

There are self-fulfilling values in life other than work. Prioritizing work over all leisurely activities and hobbies can easily lead to a lower life satisfaction. Work is not everything, and that’s something Western societies have completely lost and forgotten.

CONTACT Oriana Lukas at lukasok@dukes. jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.