Totally, that "performing for each other" bit nails it, my buddy landed a huge contract just by asking a guy about his fishing trip.

What's your weekly setup look like that it takes that long? I just do a simple task list and it takes maybe 5 minutes, but I totally get the burnout thing if you're drawing elaborate layouts.

The whole hostel game really did change around that time. Backpacking got super commercialized once everyone started booking through apps instead of just showing up. Hostels realized they could pack more beds in and skip the kitchen, cut costs, and still charge the same nightly rate. The best dinners I've had were at smaller hostels in Eastern Europe like in Budapest or Krakow where the owner actually cooks and eats with everyone. Even some of the bigger chains in Scandinavia still do family dinners but you'll pay closer to 10-15 bucks now instead of the old 3-5. It's a bummer because those dinners were half the reason hostels worked so well for solo travelers.

You ever actually done this or just looking into it? If you're serious, talk to the owner directly - most of these small landlords in Hamtramck are mom and pop types who'd rather have someone keeping the place warm and paying utilities than deal with turnover costs. Offer to clean it out, do basic maintenance, and handle snow removal. I've seen guys get a whole season free just by proving they won't trash the place and can keep the homeless out.

You're calling that dumb but I actually think tracking it is a good move. Those 15 minute breaks add up to over 1,000 hours of downtime, which is a solid chunk of time you could have used for something productive instead. Maybe counting it makes you realize how much time slips away without any real payoff.