Longer Hours, Fewer Days - Is the Four Day Work Week Really Worth It?

The four day week - Friday's free.  It sounds appealing to have a longer weekend; an entire day off to run errands, work on hobbies, or just relax with your family.  One less day of driving is also an attractive point with the ridiculously high gas prices that show no signs of relief.  A number of businesses are adopting the four day work week and government employees in the state of Utah will be enjoying a four day work week beginning next month as part of a year long experiment to reduce the state's carbon footprint. 

The shorter work week will affect about 1,000 of the 3,000 government offices in Utah, saving an estimated $3 million per year in utility costs.  Officials expect to eliminate nearly 3,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and decrease air pollution as well.  While these environmental benefits are terrific - is the four day work week really the smartest choice? 

The Pros and the Cons 

There's always a good side and a bad side to any plan.  While these numbers sound wonderful for the planet, the 17,000 Utah state employees enjoying their Friday off will make up for most of those savings using electricity within their homes and traveling.  More businesses adopting a four day work week could also be an inconvenience for customers working similar hours.

Another  reason many companies are offering more flexible work schedules is to attempt to offset the high cost of gas.  Utah officials estimate "employees in six buildings alone will save themselves more than $300,000 spent on gas to commute to work."  We have no idea how many employees that is, but a 30 mile commute in the typical car costs about $10 - meaning most people save no more than $20 a week on a four day work week,  and that's if they don't drive other places on their day off.

 There are a number of safety concerns linked to longer shifts.  Employees are more prone to fatigue, making accidents and mistakes more likely.  Too many consecutive days off can also have a bad effect on employees and their productivity.  There are also a number of advantages that support the four day work week.

My personal opinion - I think a three day weekend every week sounds fantastic!  Who doesn't?!  But for personal productivity and performance, I don't see it as the best option.

The Top 5 Reasons I Think Four Day Work Weeks are Not the Answer 

I'm all for saving on gas and decreasing carbon emissions but to me, the effects on your mind and body are not worth the small reduction. 

1. You will lose an entire day of peak productivity.   Unless your best time of day is between 5 and 7 PM, a four day work week means you lose 2 to 3 hours of your best work each week. 
   
2. You will lose 4 days of normal life.  While you are gaining an entire free day, 10 to 12 hour shifts make it nearly impossible to do anything else on those work days besides eat and sleep.
3. Longer shifts can be hard on your body and mind.  Even with that extra day to recuperate, extended shifts mean more mental anguish for office workers, service employees spend more time on their feet at once, and those with physical jobs exert more energy and strength in the course of a day. 
   
4. You're less likely to eat healthy.  It's hard enough to get the right amounts of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products working a typical 9 to 5 job.  When you're still at the office at dinner time, it's much more tempting to grab a candy bar from the snack machine or a burger from the fast food joint.
5. Monday's are even worse after a 3 day weekend.  It's always hard to return to work after a relaxing weekend.  The longer you're off, typically the harder it is to get back into the swing of things at work. 
   

What do you think about the four day work week? 

Improving the Mind - Tip #1

The human mind is absolutely amazing -- it can also be equally frustrating!  A thought can be the diving board that helps you reach the stars...or a thought could be an obstacle that keeps you from fulfilling your dreams.  The trick is to make your thoughts work for you rather than against you!

Improving your mind - specifically, improving your concentration - requires that you gain control over your thoughts.  Before beginning any task, set a timeframe to work within and use a timer to keep yourself on track.  Until the timer sounds, focus only on the task at hand and save outside thoughts and ideas for afterwards.  While you're still training your mind, keep a small notepad next to your desk.  If you find your thoughts wandering, just jot down the idea and tell yourself to ponder it later.  This will take practice if you're not already used to focusing your mind on a single thought, but it is an exercise that will improve your concentration as well as your productivity!

The Power of the Right Attitude - 5 tips for being more optimistic

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes."

~Hugh Downs   

There have been numerous studies over the years that have proven an optimistic outlook and positive thinking can mean a happier, more fulfilling life.  Optimistic people live longer - Positive people are healthier - Being an optimist can even mean greater success and more friends.

How can you gain a more optimistic attitude?

Thinking positive can be a lot more difficult than it sounds, especially in difficult times, but a few simple changes to your typical attitude and approach can make a world of difference in your success and overall happiness.

• "When you reach for the stars, you may not get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud, either."   Make a habit of  thinking big.  When you think you can, it is much more likely you will!  The most successful people didn't get where they are by dreaming of an entry-level position.
• "The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way."  There is always a good side - make a point of finding it in everything you do and in each circumstance that comes your way.
• "There is no failure. Only feedback."  When finding the good side seems nearly impossible, examine the situation and decide what you've learned.  Mistakes are the path to perfection.
• "Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." ~Thomas Edison  Hold on to your dreams and don't let go.  Adopting an optimistic attitude will make it much easier to persevere.
• "If you are not big enough to lose, you are not big enough to win."  ~Walter Reuther   Thinking positive can be disappointing when things don't go as planned - Remember that the biggest winners suffered dozens of losses along the way.

Think positive and look for the good in things!  The power of optimism can do wonders for your health, your success, and your happiness.

The Right to Knowledge - Internet Censorship and How it Affects us All

If you're reading this from the comfort of your North American home, you may think your human rights are protected and that you're not violated by internet censorship and government-monitored filters that limit the information you actually have access to -- internet censorship is not just an issue in countries like China and Cuba.  In fact, your local city government may have the ability to block your access to specific websites if they choose to do so.

Danny had a thought-provoking post today about the social responsibility businesses have to protect the quality of life of both their employees and their consumers.  His post was part of the Bloggers Unite for Human Rights event so I've decided to join the cause with a look at when internet censorship infringes on our rights as humans. 

What is Internet Censorship?

There are several different levels of internet censorship - and just as many opinions on exactly when this censoring violates human rights and free speech.  In the most extreme cases, countries may ban access to any information the government deems inappropriate using keyword filters and IP blocking - usually sensitive and controversial political news - and may ban online publication, a crime punishable with prison if a citizen chooses to post their material on an outside website.

These are the countries we typically relate to internet censorship and the infringement of human rights -- countries like Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Korea, and Iran.  Internet censorship is actually practiced by governments around the world.  Often, the censorship is meant to protect, but it can also limit our right to access information that could alter our views.

When Internet Censorship Crosses the Line

Countries with limited censorship control, like the UK, Canada, and the US, typically filter and block certain websites in efforts to protect the country's children.  Canada blocks access to the records of juveniles to its citizens, but the documents are public to those outside the country.  The United States filters the internet access of all public schools and libraries to protect children from pornography, while child pornography is blocked from any computer accessing the internet in the UK.

Not all censorship is implemented with the best interest of human rights in mind though, not even in the land of the free....

While many argue that even the proposition of  a protective act like the Deleting Online Predators Act - blocking social networks like MySpace in libraries and schools - infringes on the right to free expression, there are some practices that are inarguably a violation of our right to knowledge.  Internet censorship is not just controlled by the national government, there are state laws and city laws - and cable or wireless providers, web hosting companies, and internet service providers can block or filter access as well.

•  In 2003, a hosting company took a website offline that posted graphic pictures from the war. 
• Search engines often work with governments to censor the internet and to punish those who don't comply.  Google filters search results in China and Yahoo divulged personal information that landed a Chinese journalist in prison.
• Pennsylvania laws attempting to control child pornography was finally overturned in 2004 because of the number of innocent websites that were filtered out.
• In 2006, a liberal Kentucky-based political blog was blocked by state government offices in an obvious attempt to censor the news read accessed by state officials.

What Can You Do to Limit Internet Censorship?

Internet censorship is on the rise.  The right to own a computer in Cuba has pushed the control of censorship in that country, but places like China and Korea continue to restrict the amount of information their citizens can share or access.   Countries known for open and free internet access, like the US, continue to allow IP blocking and site filtering - even to adults in their workplace. 

The Open Net Initiative (ONI) is the best source for the latest in internet censorship and the violation of human rights.

A proposed bill in the US will prohibit companies (like Google and Yahoo) from sharing sensitive information that could result in the violation of human rights in censored countries.

The best way to make a difference in protecting ourselves and others from the violation of censorship is to be aware and to make others aware. 

Quotes for Living

"I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward."
                                                   - Thomas Alva Edison