Politicians need to know that American citizens have to have a right to dethrone them if they are doing what they need to do to grow our great nation. Campaign financing area heated issue today because companies can donate huge sums of money because they have the funds to help politicians, for future favors. When this happens corporations and government offices can be tempted to do corruptive and self gaining activities instead of doing what is right for its citizens. Plus in many incidents some senators or Congress men or Congress women, may turn a blind eye to injustices companies may do.
Companies need to be held accountable for things they do, and do business like every other hard working everyday God fearing company does. With abundance comes a ton of greed by people and eventually our government could collapse. We have seen this happen in other continents in different times of our evolution and we do not want to fall apart like some have. In time American society could revolt and then this civil strife will collapse what has always been such a proud country. Smart intellectual individuals like many of our founding fathers, need to build our nation back up or we could go down. We must become a more honest and God fearing nation to become as great as we once were.
We live in such a beautiful country with many freedoms unlike anywhere else and have the foundations to do so many great things. We do not want to fall apart because of debt where other countries like China and other nations could own us and we ourselves become to corrupt that we cannot rebound. We must change the ways companies are run and become much more of a moral and just society or we could fall as a country the next hundred years. I have written this book because I have seen in my forty years of life to many things that would have me believe we are failing at things. If enough of us really promote change we can be a great country for the next hundreds of years.
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Action Steps for Americans
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Chapter 13
Does America Know How to Have Fun Anymore?
“We can either enjoy each day and live it to the fullest, or we waste it in futility and misery”- Norman Vincent Peale
I read a recent article on Yahoo Jobs site about Americans that stuck in my head as I started to work on this chapter. The topic was about how overworked and tired Americans have become. We have become a society of heavy Starbuck drinkers and Energy drink consumers, because we need it to get through a day of work. We work a ton of hours and grade our own success by the amount of hours we put in to work daily. While that is admirable to say the least, that we love to work we have forgotten what it is to have fun in our lives. Even though the economy these days have caused people to tighten the strings on their purses, many US workers are not taking any time off for vacation much anymore. That can spell disaster because the body needs time to reflect and become whole again and this stress of not allowing this, is literally at times killing us.
Mentioned in this great article was that nearly half of the respondents that they talked with or 49% said they feel burned out at their jobs. Many did not use all their allowable vacation time to help curb their burned out feelings and stress is a big part of their lives. And even if someone did go on vacation many are strapped to their laptops and cell phones the whole time, because many people do not properly know how to relax. A study was done and they interviewed 1800 professionals and found out that 45% of the people surveyed did not use up their allotted vacation time in 2006. Americans and many of them have seemingly forgotten how to have a good time and smell some of the roses of life.
39% of the respondents just said they were too tired anyway to take the time off to be with their families on vacation. I think one serious things that has cost America some of our greatness, is that we are one of the hardest working countries that somewhere along the way forgot about enjoying life. That is sad and something so simple as this, is killing us. The human body was not made to just do hard thinking and hard labor and not enjoy the fun things that life can bring to us. 36% of the people they interviewed said they did not have the money to take a vacation. It would be in the best interest of many to save up the money that will allow them to heal their souls.
Lets face it, a vacation does not have to be taken to the Fiji Islands to call it a vacation. Stay more local and just finding a way to get out of the normal drudge of day living is what a vacation is all about. Learn to take a day of fishing or golfing and leave the blackberry in the car. Or take a weekend to get away to the shore and take that Monday off to help completely relax your vital bodies. Many Americans when they finally do take off a couple of days (31% do) because they are flat worn out, responded that they did not go on vacation but ran to doctor appointments and ran errands. Now is that a vacation or are you so programmed to follow a ritual schedule, like we all do at work? Also because we are working to much and are so stressed, many companies are finally losing a lot of employees to many illnesses.
32% of the professionals that were interviewed said that they worried so much about taking time off because they needed to save the time for emergencies that may arise. Things like a child getting ill or someone in the family needing to have surgery or something else. I think many of them have failed to realize that not allowing their minds to wonder about needless things and enjoying complete quiet, will eventually turn into their emergency. People are overstressed and overworked in this country and it is in my opinion, a dilemma that is causing short tempers and violence all over the country.
It seems like every time you turn on the TV someone is being arrested for road rage because on their way to work someone cut someone off and now without thinking, they lash out. If your mind was at peace and you were not thinking always about work and the stresses at home all the time would you lash out? I am not so sure. We have become such a work oriented country which is a good thing but not when it becomes that people are working 50-60 hours a weeks and neglecting themselves and their families. Nobody is winning in that situation but the company, because you are giving them your whole life.
A gentleman Edward C. Prescott, of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, wrote a recent article that really caught my attention and probably will you. His research stated that Americans now work 50% more on average that Germans, French, and the Italians in Europe. Americans it appears are taxed higher in this country than many of the other G-7 nations and have to work to make the incomes they need to support their famalies. Americans on a per person aged group of 15-64 basis work in the market sector 50% more than the French themselves and to much work wears one down.
Prescott did a study back more in 1993-1996 and it has not changed dematically, that should that the hours per week per person in the US according to his study is 25.9 hours. France came in at 17.5 hours and in Italy it is 16.5 hours. The only country that was higher in working more hours on average was Japan at 27.0 hours. That could explain why depression and stress is so high in the United States and in Japan. It should also be pointed out that today in Japan and in the United States though the labor supply demand is higher than many of the other European countries. So obviousily with more labor suppy demands that country will be expected to work more hours.
This is so different than 40 years ago in the 1970’s when the hours worked were quit different. Countries in Europe like France, England, and German on average worked more market hours than the United States. Many more Americans were able to spend alittle more time with their famalies and take some time to golf and fish and go to the movies in the afternoon for some getaway time.
In 1970-74 it showed a very different picture when Prescott did his study on the average hours worked between the United States and Europe and Asia. Japan as a country average at 29.8 hours per week per person between the ages of 15-64. France and Germany were nearly the same at 24.4 hours and 24.6 hours selectively. The United States back then more average at 23.5 hours and how those times have changed from today. It is not impossible to believe in the next decade that these average hours worked will jump in our country as less people will be asked to do more work.
In Australia, workers typically receive as much as 13 weeks paid leave after 15 years of service at their job. In Indonesian countries many get paid time off daily to pray. In Italy, the “Country of Love, you can get 15 days off with pay if you get married. That is very common in Italy. In America, many take honeymoons but it is more common that many just go for a week. Many couples pass up a honeymoon till a later time because the cost of it just does not allow them to get to get away after their wedding.
The United States has become a lot more of a stressed society than ever before because the mind is not allowed to be at rest long enough. America is more stressed and it is keeping us up more at night, according to the Better Sleep Council in Virginia. According to a survey they compiled in 2002, 2,000 people were studied and the data was quit troubling. 51% of the respondents said that stress in the US disturbed their nightly sleep and attributed a lot of it to work related issues and family and children problems. Many of the workers in America today, with the bad economy, are overworked and also may work for a bad manager that can lead to much stress. Because of this Universal lack of sleep Americans are more cranky and less productive mentally while they are at work. We all know these kinds of people in our own offices that are energy vampires and suck the life out of us.
Andrea Herman, Executive Director of the Better Sleep Council, says “Getting an adequate amount of sleep each night gives us energy, clear thinking, and strength to deal with life’s daily stresses. The American Psychological Association also substantiates this by saying that 1/3 of Americans are living with extreme stress and that 48% believe stress has risen over the last five years. This stress is leading to higher chemical dependency, poorer relationships, and lost productivity at work. Money and work continue to be the leading causes of stress for three quarters of Americans. This article and survey stated that it is a 59% jump in stressful issues from 2006 till now.
The recession no doubt is causing more stress than ever for the people that have lost their jobs or gone bankrupt as of late. Nearly half of all Americans report that stress has a negative impact in their professinal and personal relationships. 35% percent of Americans say work greatly interfers with family and their personal time. I think as stated before, that Americans are relaxing enough and having as much fun as they can have and it is really hurting us bad. More people need to join health clubs and have get togethers at gyms doing Yoga and meditation or get out bowling or join church groups. Just learning to do things that inspire and enrich your life are so important in todays society.
With all this stress I myself and many people have changed our lifestyles to have more fun with life. I have learned to take a vacation to Avalon, NJ for 7-10 days every June, that gives me something to look forward to. Getting down to the beach or over to the park to play sports with my son Jusin or go fishing in the bay and find myself. Plus I plan two other trips down there as well to fish with friends and my twin brother to get away from work. Also sometimes during the week, I will take a day off and head to the river to go fishing or do some water sports just to break the norm. I also like to plan trips to Key Largo, Florida to party with friends once in a while and surf a bit with buddies and have great meals out on the water. I have noticed that having this fun is so powerful to calming my mind and making me more happy.
Many find going out to a sporting events or the theatre or musicals or out to a bar with friends, can help many to put their hair down and find their souls. 77% percent of people questioned recently said they were experienceing bad physical symptoms and psychological syptoms like depression and OCD in the last month. Bouts of heavy stress can bring these symptoms on. Physical symptoms also included upset stomach, headaches, change of appetite, muscle tension, feeling nervous and dizzy. Vacationing and relaxing are so important for Americans where they can manage stress thru playing, reading, exercising, listening to music, having some wine or a couple drinks, and spending time with supportive love ones. This is a good thing and should be something that hopefully more of us would be willing to do.
Many studies are showing that countries like France and other European countries are definitely getting to get away and vacation a lot more than Americans. An article written called The Straight Dope in 2001 set out to find out if Americans are cheated on the amount of days off they are given. The study showed Americans definitely get less R&R days than other countries. With public holidays, Americans average about nine days and the United Kingdom only receives on average eight days. Japan was the winner with the most days off with 14 days. This probably frustrates a lot of us Americans and we can only hope in the future that things will change where we can get more time off to enjoy our lives more with some time off.
Something I found interesting is that some countries have required time off or mandatory vacations. There is 10 days required in Canada and Japan has 20 days and in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom the average is 24 days. In Italy, it has been reported that for Managers of companies many can get up to 35 days of paid off time. Yes you heard it right a whole month. Required mandatory vacation time in the United States is none. I am sure many of us can name many on one hand; those who are offered the days off, but many choose to work over getting away. Many companies offer on average two weeks the first year that a person works for a company in the United States and many do not indulge in time off. In counties like France it is within their right to take off as much as 25 days their first year on a new job.
Something this intriquing article brought up is that in many countries some countries also have vacation allowances. In countries like Mexico, your entitled to 20 days’ vacation plus your employer pays another 25% toward your vacation for the days you have off. Many employers though might leave the norm and give 80% at times in Mexico and some other countries. Man if we had that in the United States amagine how much more we Americans would be able to relax on our trips with more money in our pockets. This also happens in many European cities and in the United States extra funds are almost never given to us for vacations. It will be given a lot of the time in the end of the year bonuses but not for vacationing. Plus on average our incomes according to studies is taxed at higher rates,so this can cut into disposable incomes that we would use for trips.
Liz Bywater, who is President of Bywater Consulting Group, had added some reasoning to why our society has succumbed to being overworked. She feels that we have allowed the corporate culture to take over our lives and have lead to this work-vacation imbalance and we all are paying the price. I myself over the years have done this. When I worked for a huge hotel chain in the 90’s, I would work 75-80 hours some weeks and just accept that as my way of life. I had a girlfriend at the time and played for a semi pro baseball league in Long Island, New York and was over tired much of the time.
I remember one time I checked into a hotel in NY City after a long week of working at my hotel and and was still in my clothes. I passed out on the floor and was found by a cleaning lady late the next afternoon. Even at a young age I guess I was trying to work myself to death because the company demanded it. I worked for an Insurance company only a few years ago and would awake and start work at 7:30 a.m. and work till 5:00 p.m. and then eat dinner and work again till midnight most nights. I did this for almost 2 ½ years and when I would talk with my Manager, he would explain that it was just an accepted way of their companies culture. I lived many of my days in a daze because I was tired so much of the time. My life once again had fallen into working all the time and not enjoy having some personal time I so needed.
We had one of our sales representatives have a heart attack in his 50’s and almost lost his life. We had another coworker who suffered with bouts of colitis in his intestines which everyone knows comes from stress. He had children in college so working heavy hours was something he was going to do because he could not let them down. He was willing to work 60-70 hours a week even if it so much as killed him. We had another coworker who was so stressed out that she was on different kinds of anti-anxiety medications, just because that would get her through the day. She finally was a mental wreck and decided it was in her best interest to leave the company. I myself left the company after three years, and it was hard because I made a great income, because I had high blood pressure and emotionally the job took a toll on me.
If I went on vacation and was out on a boat fishing atleast an hour of that fishing trip was spent answering phone messages and putting out fires back in the office. When I would get back to my condo I would go right to the computer and make sure all my clients were taken care of first. I learned unfortunately to put their needs in front of enjoying a great time with my own love ones. So I fell into this norm and I later realized I was the only one to blame. Since then so much has changed in that I now have learned to take care of my mind and my body from when I was young and dumb.
Many people show up to work when they are deafly ill and sick because it is expected nationally that we do so. Many feel that if they are not at work the whole company will fall apart on that one day we are not there. Many of us work for very old companies and something tells me, that if we miss a couple of days at work the company will still be standing when we get back. The problem is with this lack of taking time off for me and others it will eventually cause us to become like pressure cookers or a boiling tea pot. We will have so much pented up pressure in ourselves and will blow our stacks.
When our grandparents and their parents were growing up they had to work just like us but they were not so engrossed in their work that they forgot how to live. Talk with many elders and they will tell you that family was truly number one. That without that you were nothing and you really felt like you were something. That was not more important than the country club you belonged to or the car that your drove. People looked at your with reverence when your children were educated and just known around town as good people. To much today it is the adage in that to many people have to keep up with the Joneses instead of living good solid lives. That was more important than carrying the title of Executive Vice President of a huge organization back many years ago. Being comfortable and raising a good family was far more important that the things that one possessed.
I talked with my own grandmother Josephine Lynch, who is now 92 years young. She said when she was growing up in the 30-40’s that life was a lot of simple. Many people would go to musical shows in the park and play golf and go to malt shops and just get to know people. People were more respectful of one another and it was not all about everyone of the clothes you wore or the way you looked. Getting back to a more fun life and learning that life does not have to be a big party all the time I think would benefit many Americans today.
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington DC, in a recent article stated that one third of Americans today are living in extreme stress. A survey was conducted online within the United States and was done by Harris Interactive and it was done in the summer time on August 30th through September 11, 2007. 1848 people took part in the survey and they were over the age of 18 and the study sampled enough people to get a true feel of the state of America. All demographics were taken in consideration whether an applicant was Afro-American, Spanish, or Caucasian, to help with the validity of the test.
A lot of this stress we have can be attributed to working to many hours and bad relationships with a significant others or people are in marriages that do not satisfy them. This association also says that almost 48 percent of Americans have extreme stress in their lives. That means that almost every other person you meet is probably under extreme stress and it