Are You Working Too Much?

As I finish up my workday and settle in to compose this article (the last item on my to do list today) it is approaching 10:00 PM. But, I remind myself that I did arrive in the office a bit late today. It was almost 7:45 AM which helps me feel a little better about the hours worked today. And of course, there was that breakfast meeting that lasted almost two hours. Well, it did at least include food.

As I listen to my own rationalizations, sometimes I wonder if I have gone mad. Then as I look around, I think the whole world has gone mad with me! The increasing time investment in the workday seems to be a problem not only for the self- employed types like me, but for my internal colleagues too. Everyone today seems tethered by the technology that allows us to extend the workday to include our drive time, home time, even vacation time. There seems to be little true “down time.”

A surprising new trend among the French (one of the few civilizations that still knows how to really live) suggests that they too may be getting caught in this web and are exploring if they work enough! Sadly with the interconnectedness of our world today business trends tend to spread rapidly regardless of whether or not they offer a best practice.

One voice of reason, however, has been sending a radically different message out there. The “Take Back Your Time" folks who have authored a book by that same title, indicate that we here in America actually work more than medieval peasants did. And it also turns out that we work more than the citizens of any other industrialized country. In fact, on the average, we work nearly nine full weeks longer per year than our peers in Western Europe do!

The “Take Back Your Time” folks seem to think we have given up time to have more “stuff.” Most of us seem to have more stuff than we can ever use in our lives. Have you noticed the proliferation of the storage unit businesses? Do you know what is in all those storage spaces? The stuff that doesn’t fit in peoples houses! Imagine the only country in the world with so much stuff, we can’t even fit it in our own closets. Do you remember when you lived in this country you use to be called a citizen? Have you noticed that more and more, you are referred to as a consumer?

I guess the question is, are you okay with this? If you are consciously desiring to be a “consumer” and you are willing to work more so you can consume more- great! It is those of you who feel trapped in an endless cycle of more and more activity that I wish to challenge, especially if you believe deep down you might actually be happier with less stuff. The truth is, stuff makes life more complex. You have to clean it, store it, learn how to use it, move it, etc. You know exactly what I am talking about; stuff can overwhelm you and take your joy away.

Are you feeling tired lately? Or worse yet, do you feel guilty about feeling tired? Be honest. If so, think about how your buying habits and lifestyle are playing into this. Ask yourself if this is what you want. There is not a right or wrong answer, only your answer to this question counts. As one of my favorite motivational speakers Jim Rohn says, “Life is not a practice session.” This is it friends: the real deal. Be sure you are spending it that way that you really want, a way that brings you more joy and personal satisfaction.

Susan Stamm joined her husband Rick Stamm as a Partner in The TEAM Approach, http://teamapproach.com and claims that after working together all these years they are still best friends. To see more articles written by Susan, visit The TEAM Approch's blog: http://teamapproach.typepad.com/the_team_approach/