This framing easily assumes that the time is simply lost. This can make sense but it can only not make sense. An alternative formulation is how much you value you spending time for your ends rather than somebody elses ends.
Some employers will make you go throught predictable experiences, some jobs might require to unpredictably do different things. In the case of unpredictably assuming it will be maximally wasteful might make sense. However a predictable job migth have intrinsic upsides in comparison to not being concious for the time being. Programming puzzles can be intellectually simulating, your job might involve meeting or dealing with people that can be socially simulating. Granted in your free time you can focus on activities that are optimsed for the direct gains (a video game is probably more fun and stimulating than a programming job).
Theorethically your job could also be of lower value than complete waste. If you work as a hitman the moral and psychological cost could be things that compare unfavourably to not existing for the time period. Maybe being too fluent in C# alienates you from humans speaking english? In this case accounting for only the time lost is not sufficient. In a way for every working hour you also need to schedule a slot of recovery such as sleeping hours. Concievably having a longer time to unwind in entertainment from a long work day cuts out ability to maintain and improve your personal life.
The shape of the concept of paying for hours comes from the employer being able to justify your salary by comparing your work product provided to the compensation you get. The scaling effect comes from the assumtion that if a thing can be done once in a time period then in a double time period in can be done twice. However YOLO so you should probably think how the work fits in your lifes whole. What things you can or can not do if you do or do not do the work?
This framing easily assumes that the time is simply lost. This can make sense but it can only not make sense. An alternative formulation is how much you value you spending time for your ends rather than somebody elses ends.
Some employers will make you go throught predictable experiences, some jobs might require to unpredictably do different things. In the case of unpredictably assuming it will be maximally wasteful might make sense. However a predictable job migth have intrinsic upsides in comparison to not being concious for the time being. Programming puzzles can be intellectually simulating, your job might involve meeting or dealing with people that can be socially simulating. Granted in your free time you can focus on activities that are optimsed for the direct gains (a video game is probably more fun and stimulating than a programming job).
Theorethically your job could also be of lower value than complete waste. If you work as a hitman the moral and psychological cost could be things that compare unfavourably to not existing for the time period. Maybe being too fluent in C# alienates you from humans speaking english? In this case accounting for only the time lost is not sufficient. In a way for every working hour you also need to schedule a slot of recovery such as sleeping hours. Concievably having a longer time to unwind in entertainment from a long work day cuts out ability to maintain and improve your personal life.
The shape of the concept of paying for hours comes from the employer being able to justify your salary by comparing your work product provided to the compensation you get. The scaling effect comes from the assumtion that if a thing can be done once in a time period then in a double time period in can be done twice. However YOLO so you should probably think how the work fits in your lifes whole. What things you can or can not do if you do or do not do the work?