I don’t follow 4. I get in early and leave early. This is the 2010s not the 1810s.

If that means I’m not liked, I’ll pay that tax.

I totally agree with this. This culture of being expected to be present at work simply to pretend like you're working more needs to end immediately in every work place. It's just plain toxic.

I think op means to not just do the bare minimum and be the guy who leaves when everyone else is working.

I know what you're getting at, but this language upsets me. There are a ton of valid reasons to leave when everyone else is working:

1. doctor's appointment

2. picking up the kids from daycare

3. being an early bird and coming in way earlier than everyone else

4. working part-time

Just from the top of my head.

Yep, you got it right. That's what I meant. It was really hard to find the proper wording, there.

In any case, I am absolutely against slaving yourself for your employer and that is not what I meant at all.

Heck, I think 40 hours a week is too much -- I'd much rather see something closer to 32 hour work weeks, realistically.

4 basically means don't be that guy who does as little work as contractually obligated to.

There was actually one situation where I was the last to come and first to leave. I'm pretty sure I was well disliked at that company even though I more than did my share. You're just not seen as part of the group.

Not necessarily - if things need to be done, don't leave people to it just because you're done; try to be helpful (of course don't let others take advantage). The same way - don't stay over time if given thing can be continued next day; work is work, and while it is important, there are more important things

Only if 100% of your co-workers over-work, arrive early and stay late. I’ve worked in companies of wildly varying sizes, from 2 (startup) to 200,000 (megacorp), some of them full of very hard workers, and it has always been easy to not be first out by just meeting the minimum time obligation that I agreed to. There are usually some people working less, and the advice above was just to not be one of them, rather than kill yourself by working harder than everyone.

Change it to, Don’t always be the 1st to leave...