If you scroll back through your Twitter (X) archive or Instagram feed to January 22, 2023, you will find a specific digital vibe. It was a Sunday. We were exactly three weeks into the New Year—far enough from the "New Year, New Me" resolutions to have abandoned the gym, but close enough to feel guilty about it.

Date of Analysis: January 22, 2023

We overcorrected. In 2023, it was cool to do the bare minimum. In 2025, with layoffs still happening in tech and media, the people who only did the bare minimum were often the first on the chopping block.

Here is a look back at the three biggest career posts from January 22, 2023, and how they actually impact your professional life today. The Post: A TikTokker bragging about a $75k remote job that requires only 15 hours of actual work.

We were obsessed with boundaries. "Your job is not your family" was the mantra. Any post suggesting you stay late or go "above and beyond" was downvoted into oblivion.

This went viral because we were all burned out. The premise was genius: optimize your role to the point of efficiency, then use the extra time for yourself. Comment sections were filled with "Where do I sign up?"

While the sentiment is still popular, the market has shifted. With AI automation (ChatGPT-4o, Claude, etc.) now capable of doing those 15 hours of work in 15 minutes, the "Lazy Girl Job" is becoming precarious.

In the career space, that date was a goldmine of hot takes. The prevailing themes? and the rise of "Career Cushioning."

Delete the "act your wage" mentality from 2023. Keep the "protect your time" mentality. Today, the winning employee is the one who works smarter (using AI), visible (speaking up), and cushioned (always learning).

This was the peak of the "Great Resignation" aftershock. Everyone was terrified of being caught off guard by a mass layoff. The advice was to secretly apply to 5 jobs a week even if you were happy.