The skill to distinguish on whether the extra work will help you get paid more in the future is essential. Developing this skill makes it a bet instead of just working more.

Only if you add the hours for free and dont punch out when you should.

It's not possible to do everything. That's when your coworker that dedicates every waking moment to the job will outpace you and then set the standards.

If they "dedicate every waking moment to the job" they will outpace you anyway. So either join the race or live a balanced life. Choices.

This is what pretty much every “lifehack” type of tip boils down to, btw lol

I guess I should add "for someone else". In that case it's just bad negotiating skills, but at the same time companies have a lot more bargaining power over individual employees, and it's especially bad in the software industry.

it seems clear to me that one can slack off at certain times, and work hard at the important times, and overall come out about the same (or with less overall work). IMO as a developer in a large corp, if you know the right team to talk to, it can save you MONTHS of work yourself

For the benefit of humanity.

For the good of all of us.

(Except the ones who are dead.)