Propaganda I’m not falling for

I’m approximately two months late to this trend, but I’m doing it anyway. I dipped my toe into this topic a few weeks ago with Why some freelance advice sucks, but as it turns out, I have more to say when it comes to stuff I don’t agree with in the world of work.

[Pretends to be shocked.]

Without further ado, here is the work-related propaganda I’m not falling for:

Waking up early

I’m not against the idea of getting up early, but I am against the assertion that starting the day at 5am is a requirement for success. There is a certain set of rise-and-grind hustle bro that insists on this, and it’s just boring at this point. I usually wake up between 8 and 9. I rarely set an alarm. I often start work after 10. I am successful.

The 40-hour work week

Henry Ford introduced the 5-day, 40-hour workweek after tests revealed that a sixth working day each week had minimal productivity gains. The company also found that a 2-day weekend increased employee satisfaction and loyalty (duh). Fast forward, and companies are now experimenting with further reducing the work week. 

In 2026, it will be exactly 100 years since Ford’s groundbreaking announcement. Maybe we’ll see more employers adopting a 4-day workweek 👀

Scaling my freelance business

I don’t want to run an agency. I don’t want to hire subcontractors. I don’t want to become a fractional CMO (or a fractional-anything, really). I want to run a simple, low-stress, efficient, and independent freelance writing business with minimal expenses and maximum free time. Does this limit my income potential? Maybe. Which leads me to…

Becoming a six-figure freelancer

I’ll admit, this idea still holds some shine for me. But ultimately, I don’t need anywhere near $100k to maintain my ideal lifestyle in my LCOL area. My goals and/or living situation will probably change throughout my life, but right now, keeping costs low feels like the ultimate life hack. And I’m more than happy being a five-figure freelancer 🙂

“Don’t call yourself a freelancer”

I hear this weirdly often, and I lowkey hate it. People keep perpetuating this myth(?) that companies/clients associate freelancers with low quality and low rates. Admittedly, I haven’t conducted empirical research on this, but I just don’t think it’s true. And if it is, how do we know that calling yourself a contractor/fractional/consultant/ is any better in their eyes? Call yourself whatever you want, but I personally embrace the “freelancer” label.

Unpaid internships

When I was a recent college grad, circa 2015, I applied for an internship at a local marketing agency. I found out during the interview that the position would be unpaid, and I ended up declining. Because, you know, I needed an income. Recently, I saw that same agency advertising their internships, and they’re still unpaid! In 2025!

Yes, young workers gain valuable experience from internships. But employers gain free labor? How is this a fair trade? See also: Unpaid trial projects for clients, unpaid interview process projects, and basically all other forms of unpaid labor. 

Bringing my laptop on vacation

Listen. I’ve done it before. I may do it again. But I don’t make it a habit. Doing the digital nomad thing is a different ball game, but I often feel I should bring my laptop “just in case” something urgent comes up. Guess what? Nothing urgent ever comes up. And if it ever does, it can wait until I’m back at my desk. 

Return to office orders

Obviously, a fully remote workforce doesn’t work for every company and every type of work. But many corporate RTO mandates strike me as a grab for control and a way to justify the sunk costs and ongoing expenses associated with mostly-empty office buildings. Buzzwords like accountability, productivity, and collaboration are a smokescreen, imo.

“Nobody wants to work anymore”

It’s the catchphrase of critics of fully-remote work and other “radical” ideas like [checks notes] …paying workers a living wage… Most people want to work, but they also want respect, fair wages, safe and healthy working conditions, and free time to enjoy life. Is that really so radical? Maybe we should start saying “nobody wants to compensate workers fairly for their labor anymore” instead. 

Going above and beyond

The “quiet quitting” phenomenon catches a lot of criticism because it’s a bullshit term for a completely normal and healthy way of working: doing your job according to expectations and clocking out promptly at the end of your shift. Quiet quitting is not about hating your job or slacking off. It’s about having clear boundaries and refusing to do extra unpaid work based on the vague hope of being rewarded — eventually, maybe.

If we zoom out beyond the world of work, my list grows ever longer. I’m also not falling for diet culture, tanning, AI art, skipping breakfast, shoes without arch support, cosmetic surgery, anti-aging efforts, hard pants, purity culture, or running for fun. 😂

How about you? 

See you next week,

Kara

Out of Office

What I’m doing when I’m not working

• Last week, I got to meet my brand new niece in Iowa! She’s so tiny and perfect, and it’s so sweet to see my brother be a dad. I’ve gone from zero to five nieces and nephews in the last 2 years — definitely in my auntie era!

• While we roadtripped to Iowa and back, I got to enjoy several things I can’t get in Canada: unsweetened ice tea, Girl Scout cookies, Jimmy John’s, Chick Fil A, Target, and many favorite local shops and restaurants.

• I recently went to see the Canadian Forces Snowbirds at their airshow in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. I have fun memories from a few airshows when I was younger (my dad studied aerospace and is very into planes), so it was super nostalgic and fun. Here are some of the pics I took that day with my new camera!

P.S. Got a question about self-employment, anti-hustle culture, business books, or something else?

Kara Detwiller is a writer and creative based in small-town Saskatchewan. She specializes in long-form content writing for enterprise SaaS, cybersecurity, and manufacturing clients. She is also working on her first novel, among other creative pursuits. To connect, reply to this email or find Kara on LinkedIn. To support her work on Wishful Working, share this email with someone or buy her a “coffee.”

Why Wishful Working? I write this newsletter because I want to see more people enjoy a life not centered around work. For some, the path to freedom and flexibility is through self-employment, but we also need to challenge cultural norms and champion healthier working conditions and work/life balance for all types of workers.