Final answer:
Productivity may increase when working for someone else due to factors like alienation from the product of labor, accountability, clear expectations and immediate feedback, all of which might not be as present when working for oneself. Adam Smith also noted that specialized work increases efficiency but may lack fulfillment, which impacts motivation. Self-employment requires self-motivation, which can be harder to sustain without external incentives.
Step-by-step explanation:
Feeling more productive when working for someone else rather than for oneself can be influenced by various psychological and social factors. One of the prominent concepts related to this feeling is alienation from the product of one's labor, as theorized by Marx. This occurs when individuals are unable to see the result of their work or understand its contribution to the final product. Consequently, they might find it difficult to find value in the work they are doing for themselves. Additionally, working for someone else often comes with clear expectations, deadlines, and immediate feedback which can enhance motivation and structure.
Another aspect to consider is accountability. When working for someone else, the sense of being held accountable can drive productivity. In contrast, self-directed work requires self-imposed goals and discipline which can be challenging to maintain consistently. Moreover, Adam Smith's views on specialization indicate that repetitive and specialized tasks, while efficient, might not be as fulfilling, leading to a lack of motivation when working on one's projects, which might require a broader skill set and more self-direction.
To sum it up, when you're working for someone else, there are external motivators such as responsibility, reward, and recognition which can drive productivity. Whereas self-employment requires finding or creating these motivators within oneself, which can be more difficult without the direct incentives and structures provided in a traditional employment setting.