I don't have the problem with the time required to be rewarded for things by Imms. If that's the primary thing you play for, I can definitely understand having a problem with the high work vs. reward. That said, I've always considered rewards to be "extra", save things like necessary empowerment.

I DO tend to grumble and groan if I don't get Imm XP (amount doesn't matter) for my first role entry or entries within a few days of adding it. Even that is just because I kind of feel like after a certain level and/or once in a cabal, a role is mandatory (even though it isn't), and if I feel obliged to write one, I want to be acknowledged for it just a little bit. Plus I want edge points. Other than that though, anything else is icing on the cake. Last name, title, virtues, edges, edge points, quest forms, quest spells, etc. are all things I feel no entitlement to. Sometimes I may want them if I feel like I've earned a certain something, but it's all extra and I've never, ever deleted because I didn't get something or get it in a certain amount of time.

My problem, as it relates to time sinks, is the amount of time necessary to gather and maintain the level of preps, gold, gear, regear, etc. to play competitively at hero, primarily in cabal wars. If I have X hours every day/week to play, I don't want to spent 70% of X hours being "out of the action".