I probably look at this in too simplified a way, but my strongly held belief, and it's a belief that has not wavered throughout 40 years spent working, one way or another, both full and part time, from a Saturday job at school and baby sitting gigs through office manager, PA, mother, TA, counsellor, mental health worker and now community services - is that we are NOT built for full time work.
Almost nobody relishes or enjoys or benefits (except financially) from full time work. I now work 25-30 hours a week over four days - plus writing - and I love it. It helps that I work in the public sector, in fact I cannot believe how much easier the work load is compared to the private sector - but that's not a bad thing either and shouldn't be treated as a misstep or incredible good fortune.
I think it's great that I have a job I can accomplish without half killing myself and running on a hamster wheel the whole time. It's how it should be.
We are not made for relentless toil. I think burnout has a very simple fix - expect only part time work from everyone, no more than 30 hours a week, no more than 4 days, and watch the clouds lift.
But the mega wealthy are happy with a system which turns us into drones who (preferably) drop dead nice and early before they become useless eaters. So I don't see it changing any time soon.
Agree with the 4 day/8 hrs per day work week. Period. The only way to enforce this is with labor unions that can engage in collective bargaining. Individuals have no power to say "No" in the workplace.
I've always noticed how worked American workers are compared to European workers, with long hours and so little holiday!
But you are right that very often there is no time to meet with colleagues and put in place that which is important. Staff meetings in a school are so difficult to squeeze into the day.
"Staff meetings in a school are so difficult to squeeze into the day."
I think there's often a work culture that says if you're not "doing your job", you're not being "productive". That's true up to a point, and then it's a mindless harmful thing.
Nice presentation by the way :) Great to hear your voice, too.
Thank you!
I probably look at this in too simplified a way, but my strongly held belief, and it's a belief that has not wavered throughout 40 years spent working, one way or another, both full and part time, from a Saturday job at school and baby sitting gigs through office manager, PA, mother, TA, counsellor, mental health worker and now community services - is that we are NOT built for full time work.
Almost nobody relishes or enjoys or benefits (except financially) from full time work. I now work 25-30 hours a week over four days - plus writing - and I love it. It helps that I work in the public sector, in fact I cannot believe how much easier the work load is compared to the private sector - but that's not a bad thing either and shouldn't be treated as a misstep or incredible good fortune.
I think it's great that I have a job I can accomplish without half killing myself and running on a hamster wheel the whole time. It's how it should be.
We are not made for relentless toil. I think burnout has a very simple fix - expect only part time work from everyone, no more than 30 hours a week, no more than 4 days, and watch the clouds lift.
But the mega wealthy are happy with a system which turns us into drones who (preferably) drop dead nice and early before they become useless eaters. So I don't see it changing any time soon.
Agree with the 4 day/8 hrs per day work week. Period. The only way to enforce this is with labor unions that can engage in collective bargaining. Individuals have no power to say "No" in the workplace.
I've always noticed how worked American workers are compared to European workers, with long hours and so little holiday!
But you are right that very often there is no time to meet with colleagues and put in place that which is important. Staff meetings in a school are so difficult to squeeze into the day.
"Staff meetings in a school are so difficult to squeeze into the day."
I think there's often a work culture that says if you're not "doing your job", you're not being "productive". That's true up to a point, and then it's a mindless harmful thing.
Taking time to think would be a revolution, and might reclaim the power lost in burnout. Thanks for the thought piece on this sticky problem.
Yes, thinking ... the killer app (depending on what kind of thinking!).
Thanks for subscribing and reading Julie! 👏