I've noticed that younger colleagues increasingly value flexibility over salary. Benefits like remote work, four day weeks, and asynchronous hours often outweigh the appeal of a higher paycheck. In my earlier career, my focus was solely on earning more. Have your priorities evolved over time?

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I am well compensated for my time. However, I have no time outside of work to enjoy it. Nice to see the younger generation trying to find a balance.

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I completely agree! Finding that balance is so important.

I still have that focus. I try to balance it as much as I can with non-compensation benefits, like WLB and flexibility, but at the end of the day, money talks. I have no qualms with working hard if the end payoff is worthwhile.

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Totally agree! Hard work deserves good rewards.

Yeah, 100%. My priorities have shifted a lot over the years, and I see exactly what you’re talking about with the younger folks—it’s not just a stereotype, it’s real. Early in my career (mid-20s), it was almost entirely about the paycheck. I was paying off student loans, trying to build some savings, and honestly just proving to myself (and my family) that I could “make it.” A 10-15% bump felt huge, and I’d jump for it even if the role was meh or the hours were brutal. Flexibility wasn’t even on my radar and remote work barely existed outside a few tech circles, and I figured grinding was just part of climbing the ladder. Fast forward to my early 30s, after a couple intense years at a startup where I was basically always on, and everything flipped. I had my first kid, burnout hit hard, and suddenly time started feeling way more scarce than money. I took a role that paid a bit less on paper but let me work remotely and actually log off at 5-6 most days. Best decision I ever made. The extra hours with my family and the mental space to think clearly were worth way more than the salary difference.
Now in my early 40s, I’m somewhere in the middle. I still care about money—kids aren’t cheap, and I want to set us up long-term but I’m much pickier. I won’t take a big pay jump if it means going back to an office five days a week or being on Slack at 10 p.m. regularly. Things like true async work (where outcomes matter more than hours), solid parental leave, and just basic respect for life outside work are non-negotiable now. Four-day weeks or unlimited PTO that people actually take would make me seriously consider a lateral move or even a small pay cut.
It’s funny but I mentor a few people in their 20s now, and when they tell me they’re turning down higher offers for better flexibility, I totally get it. I wish I’d valued that sooner. Money buys options, but time and sanity are the things you can’t get back.
What about you? You said your focus used to be purely on earning more. Has anything shifted for you over time, or are there still moments where the bigger paycheck wins out?

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I completely agree, finding the right balance is essential, and it definitely shifts at different stages of life. I used to prioritise a higher paycheck, but since having my child, my focus has shifted to flexibility. Being able to spend quality time with family is now my top priority.

This year I’m focusing on earning more .

That’s what I’m thinking too; as need to keep up with the inflation.

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