In Defense of Life-Work Balance
Yes, I’m writing this as I’m on PTO.
What People Want.
According to clinical surveys:
- Love in their lives
- Health
- High paying job$
- Looks
- Weight Loss
“Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” -Dalai Lama
False Beliefs About Overworking.
Keyword: False
- You’ll end up being happier.
- It’s seen as lazy if you don’t.
- Something to brag about.
- Badge of honor.
- You’re being more productive.
Sociologist Robert Putnam reported in Bowling Alone (2000) that when American adults were asked in 1975 to identify the elements of “the good life,” 38 percent chose “a lot of money,” compared to 63 percent who chose “a lot of money” in 1996.
The Importance of Sleep.
Zzzz…
- In the 60s and 70s, people reported average sleep times of 8–8.5 hours a night.
- Today, it’s much more likely to be 7–7.5 hours or less.
- Adults (18+) need 7.5–9 hours of sleep a night.
- People are blind to the functional consequences of sleep deprivation, which include cognitive impairment, heightened emotional reactivity, and heightened stress-response.
Happier Families.
❤
- Reality: About 40 to 50% of married couples in the United States divorce.
- Teens who frequently have dinner with their families are at a lower risk for substance abuse.
- Teens whose parents are home with them after school and in the evening are less likely to experience emotional distress.
- The four-day workweek makes it easier for parents to balance the demands of work and raising children.
When parents are chronically over-stressed, they can’t be as emotionally available as they should. As a result, children fail to develop fundamental trust in themselves and the world, learning to either bury or act out their needs in ways that impair their growth and capacities for relationships later in life.
Productivity.
What if working less is the real key?
- Nearly 86% of American men and 67% of women work more than 40 hours in a given week.
- For a long time, people worked 12+ hours a day, six days a week. It’s only since the mid-20th century that eight hours a day, five days a week has been the norm.
- Henry Ford discovered in the early part of the 20th century that you could actually get more output out of people by having them work fewer days and fewer hours.
- Some employers find a four-day workweek increases productivity and job satisfaction, which helps retain all talented workers.
- In an op-ed in the New York Times, software CEO Jason Fried reported that the 32-hour, four-day workweek his company follows from May-October has resulted in an increase in productivity. “Better work gets done in four days than in five.”
Happiness.
=)
- A four-day workweek leads to more creative, more satisfied employees who are in a better position to do their best work.
- Happy employees are more likely to create a nurturing home environment for their kids to thrive.
- Free time promotes taking on hobbies.
- Hobbies promote staying present.
- Hobbies provide an outlet for stress.
- Hobbies have physical health benefits.
As the U.N. states, “Happy people live longer, are more productive, earn more, and are also better citizens. Well-being should be developed both for its own sake and for its side-effects.”
Writer. Designer. Reality-bender. Follow me on Twitter @ImKalvinFadakar.
