> it doesn't feel good to take money from people for work you haven't done.
I can think of entire ranges of organizations I would have no problem in extracting money from.
Despite personally regularly working 60+ hour weeks (I actually like my job), your entire post feels like you’re pretty deep into the wage-slave kool-aid. A job is a means to an end, not a reason to exist, and companies do not care for you in the slightest. Extending them the same courtesy is a reasonable step.
If you feel that way, you should consider starting your own company. Freelance consulting is an easy business to run, if you don't have any more exciting ideas.
Been there, done that. I’m not interested in the paperwork, or the “hustle” of finding projects (though that historically has never been a problem, who is to say it will remain that way when the next dot-com crash equivalent era hits).
Note that “working to live” and not “living to work” is not the same as “not fulfilling your contractual obligation to your employer”, which you absolutely should do.
I can think of entire ranges of organizations I would have no problem in extracting money from.
Despite personally regularly working 60+ hour weeks (I actually like my job), your entire post feels like you’re pretty deep into the wage-slave kool-aid. A job is a means to an end, not a reason to exist, and companies do not care for you in the slightest. Extending them the same courtesy is a reasonable step.