A Media Development and Production Company

Speaking Point: From the extremes of fitting a month into a week to fitting a week into an afternoon, the whole gamut of worklife styles exist today. Due to trends in work hours in the early half of the 20th century, the futurist Herman Kahn prophesied in 1967 that Americans would enjoy thirteen weeks of vacation and a four-day work week. However, a New Yorker article in 2005 confirmed that Americans were working as much as they did in 1970 and get, on average, 4 weeks of vacation. However, that was 4 years ago. What about today’s economic times? Can we indulge in the luxury of work/life “balance” when many don’t even have a work life?

Speaking Point: 4-Hour Workweek for Would-Be Millennials. The popularity of best-selling book “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss has entrepreneurs rethinking their approach…and learning simpler ways of utilizing (or ignoring) technology. The younger generations adapt quicker to the economies of scale afforded by technology.

Speaking Point: Productivity is Not Helping Employment. A recent government report stated that the economy grew at a rate of 3 in the third quarter of 2009…yet another 190,000 jobs were lost in the same month! Is the current upsurge in “productivity” actually blood money, as those lucky enough to have a job are squeezed for every ounce of work? The output per hour of work recently showed the first increase in 6 years, but that just means those with jobs are working harder to keep those jobs as employers resist the burden of additional employees.

Speaking Point: 4-Day Work Weeks Gaining in Popularity. Many municipal governments have swung toward 4-day work weeks for the supposed benefit of work/life balance, yet a 10-hour day 4 days a week makes any sense of “family life” harder to comprehend for those 4 days.

Speaking Point: Assess Your Personal Situation. Every person’s circumstances are different and, therefore, every work schedule is different. Entrepreneurs or business owners may have more sway over their schedule, as long as they have trained customers on when they can be counted on to deliver. Employees should determine their own family needs and then initiate friendly push-backs to see how those needs, as well as those of their employers, can all be met. Creative thinking is key.

Speaking Point: Create Family Around The Pillars. What holds up a family are the pillars of work and finances as well as home life to support happy progress of all involved. Make it a family-committee conversation to explore how all can work together to support the happiest end result. Can older kids pick up or watch out for younger ones so that mom or day can squeeze in those extra couple hours Mon-Thurs? Can grandma step in to assist during the week so the family gets a 3 day weekend more often? Discuss and plan…which creates that family feel we all want anyway.