The long weekend got me thinking about my plans for three full days off.
That got me thinking about the housework I can no longer avoid, which then led me to updating the calendar of family schedules to ensure I could recruit (read force) help with the chores, which got me wondering if I’d ever finish the book I started in May, which then landed me with a full-blown headache and a nasty bout of indigestion.
But I believe there is a cure.
Stay with me now, you’re going to like this essay. I know what’s wrong with our society and I know how to fix it. That’s right. I have analyzed the issues and I believe I have the solution. Politicians, sit up and pay attention. Protestors, prepare to make your signs. This is big.
The way I see it, most Canadians (or for this scenario, the ones that matter) would agree that they are stressed. There is a shared sense that we don’t have enough time, enough balance in our lives. Money is tight and when it does come, it’s fleeting. We rush too much. We work too much. We sleep with our mobile devices instead of each other (yep, you heard me).
Entire generations of people are plugged in and have tuned out. Reality has gone virtual and there is virtually no reality in that cycle.
As a result, our mental and physical health is suffering. We’re hamsters running on a wheel. Nod if you agree (you in the back, put your hand down; we’re not taking questions at this time).
Don’t despair Canada, we can turn this around with one simple move: the creation of the four-day work week. Voila. Problem solved. Granted, it’s an old argument, but I am giving it a new zest of enthusiasm.
Imagine if you only worked four days a week, then you got three full days to live that part of your life that isn’t dedicated to your career.
So maybe one day goes to kids’ sports, or maybe even two half days, but bonus – you get Monday off anyway. Sure you won’t sleep in everyday, but best two out of three? Think of all the trouble, er, great things you could do in three days.
You could even volunteer (read: justification for more time). Even if your house looks like a department store threw up in the living room, you would have one of three days to clean it up and still get out and enjoy life a little. Why? Because you’d have time.
Okay, sure, it’s a kick to the budget if you’re a working stiff, but the way I look at it, there will never be enough money to do what you want to do all the time, so just drop that dream now. Call me a pessimist. Boy, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that … but I digress. Look, that is the math part of the equation so watch as I cleverly distract you with more facts and ignore the issue of funds and feasibility all together.
More time to play equals less stress, equals job satisfaction and thus, less health care costs. Is it me, or is this like really obvious? I rest my case.
The Carpenter’s reaction was somewhat lackluster. He said if I go into politics, he would not be my campaign manager. Whatever.
Happy long weekend to you.