Comments on Five Day Weekend: Thursday Thirteen, Five Day Weekend style

My company, CultureRx, doesn't necessarily practic...

2007-05-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

My company, CultureRx, doesn't necessarily practice a Five Day Weekend, but one of our "Truths" is that every day feels like a Saturday. The reasoning is that every day, each employees has control over how that day takes shape depending on the work demands and personal demands. We choose how to spend our time. I like this concept because it doesn't stigmatize certain work patterns or compartmentalize the week. It's all about getting the work done and living a fulfiled life.

Amen, Brother. People are exactly where they chose...

2007-05-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

Amen, Brother. People are exactly where they chose to be.

I didn't hear about the Raleigh event until it was...

2007-05-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't hear about the Raleigh event until it was too late. I definitely would have been there.

I don't know if a five day weekend could really work. I do know that these 70+ hour weeks that most professionals seem to work is complete and utter BS. It's more a matter of poor time management and inadequate staffing. But because we (well, you, not me) bend over and take it, nothing ever changes.

The 40 hour week is a relic of our industrial age. If we are supposedly so enlightened today, then why is it we do whatever we can to avoid our families in the name of supporting them? To those who say they are supporting their families, I say BS. If you didn't have to have a $30,000+ car for each driving member of the household, if you didn't have to have a plasma screen TV and a boat, if you didn't have to have all of this shallow stuff, you wouldn't be such a slave to the machine.

I don't necessarily have it all worked out myself. I'm on the road there. But I'm convinced I'm going to have to get a lot more creative if I'm going to drop entire days from my work week. As it stands I don't get enough vacation time so I just take unpaid leave and let the bean counters figure out how to track it. I also make good use of telecommuting opportunities.

But it's not enough.

Thanks. It is just one man's opinion. I am just pr...

2007-05-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks. It is just one man's opinion. I am just proud of what this country has accomplished in the world arena, through hard work. All politics aside, I think this is still the best country in the world to live in. Having been born in South America, and having half of my familiy living in Europe; I can say that with much confidence.

Thanks for the well-thought-out response, Gabe! Ou...

2007-05-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the well-thought-out response, Gabe! Our overarching goal is to spark a national discussion of how we balance work and life. Such a discussion is always more rewarding with responses like yours. Thanks again.

• I will gladly respond to all of those facts:• Am...

2007-05-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

• I will gladly respond to all of those facts:
• Americans wasted more than 570 million vacation days in 2006. They did not waste them they worked them to better take care of their families. And that is a choice they made.
• Unlike 96 other countries, the U.S. has no law governing vacations. Nor should it. We have a reputation of working hard, and that is why Americans are financially better off them the rest of the world.
• U.S. workers receive an average of 14 vacation days but only use 10 a year. Their choice. Not by force.
• By comparison, French workers receive 39 vacation days, and Germans get 27. That’s why their economies are weaker, and combined they don’t match the US.
• Americans have increasingly worked more days a year since World War II. It takes more to provide in today’s world than it did back then.
• A nine-year university study recently found that not taking vacation can increase the chance of heart attack or coronary disease. What would the effects be of staying at home 5 days a week eating twinkies and watching TV?
• In 2006, members of the U.S. Congress clocked 104 days in session – which means they worked exactly two days a week. This is a sad but true statement. And people wonder why our politicians aren’t as affective as they should be. Some of them work like the French and Germans.
• But why am I getting all bent out of shape. This is a cute idea, but it will never fly in this country. Majority of people know better. If people truly want to work less, they need to figure out a better way of creating income. There are other ways to create money other than working a 9 to 5 for the rest of your life. I see your point, but those ideals will never accomplish the goal they are setting out for ( better health and peace of mind). In fact they would destroy any chance of it ever happening.

Be sure to check out our Frequently Asked Question...

2007-05-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions section.

Not that our reasoning will stand up to intense scrutiny or anything, but at least you can see that we tried...

How do you suppose the US economy will sustain its...

2007-05-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

How do you suppose the US economy will sustain itself if Americans worked only 2 days a week? The French tried cutting their work week down to just 35 hours and their new President calls that "absurd". It has had an impact on their economy Americans wouldn't even be able to support their lifestyle working and getting paid for only 2 days a week. Or do you expect to get paid for 5 days and work for 2?