Work

1. 75

   realtalk247posted 9 years ago

   To work better, work less
   9 hr ago By By ​Cody C. Delistraty of The Atlantic
   "Every August, Paris now sees another rapid transformation. Tourists rule the picturesque streets. Shops are shuttered. The singsong sounds of English, Italian, and Spanish float down the street in place of the usual French monotone. As French workers are required to take at least 31 days off each year, nearly all of them have chosen this month to flit down to Cannes or over to Italy, Spain, or Greece, where the Mediterranean beckons  and life hasn’t stopped like it has here.
   Some might call it laziness, but what French people are really doing by vacationing for the entirety of August is avoiding the tipping point of overwork . Just as the city transforms overnight, so do French work habits—and this vacation time pays dividends. That’s because, even though the amount of time you work tends to match how productive you are as if on a sliding scale, length of work and quality of work at a certain point become inversely related. At some point, in other words, the more you work, the less productive you become.
   For example, working long hours often leads to productivity-killing distractions . Such is an instance of the saying known as Parkinson’s law, which states that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Work less, and you’ll tend to work better."
   
   http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/ … -countries 
   
   I've never understood who thought it was a great idea to have 52 weeks in a year and take 2 weeks off.  By working people more you are achieving less productivity but someone this is the working norm for most.  Some employers feel working an employee 6 days a week is better than hiring the appropriate amount of staff so people aren't burned out and your staff provides quality work for the employer. 
   
   If you ever want to consider the workplace diferently consider reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss.  (fourhourworkweek.com)
   
   What are your thoughts about the typical work hours in the United States, lack of vacation time, and stress of traditional 8-5 jobs?  Stress is an issue with workers in the United States.  Why do we not understand in the United States that work/life/family balance if essential to one's mental and physical health?  Any thoughts?

   replyreport
   1. 79

      Sed-meposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      This should be on the religious forum so I can give it a big, AMEN!

      replyreport
   2. 85

      gmwilliamsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Europeans generally have LONG vacations.  One person informed me that Europeans have on the average SIX WEEKS vacation.  He derided that Americans have TWO WEEKS vacation.  Yes, many Americans have on the average two weeks vacation or less depending.  Americans are one of the most OVERWORKED people on the planet.  They work themselves often to exhaustion on jobs that don't pay them enough to enjoy a decent upper middle class existence.

      replyreport
      1. 75

         realtalk247posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Gm Williams.
         You are right. United States workers are over-worked, barely have time to spend with their children, and at the end of the day live a few paychecks away from devastation.  It's not right.

         replyreport
         1. 90

            GA Andersonposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Ugh! You are so right. Too many Americans put work before life. But that is probably due to chasing the American dream - to achieve and improve one's station in life, (or as is too common in today's life- just to keep our heads above water),
            
            When the last days come, I wonder if the European mindset off living for today is better for a life lived, than the American mindset of constantly striving to get ahead and prosper?
            
            Which boils down to, (I think), what exactly does "prosper" mean? I do know that for me, now, (which is a different perspective than my younger years), prosper has a lot more to do with the enjoyment of life than the "success" part of life.
            
            GA

            replyreport
            1. 75

               realtalk247posted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Quality of Life means everything.

               replyreport