I've been thinking about this for a while and I needed to get it written down because it was driving me nuts.
Since I had kids, I've been drawn to family, career, and health stories here in the U.S. A lot of people here suffer from major health conditions: heart disease, cancer, obesity...and the list goes on. I find it no coincidence that the people in the Mediterranean and European cultures live longer and have less stress. If you take a look at their daily routine, they walk more, work less, take more naps throughout the day, and spend more time with family and friends. Many of us here in the States forego time with our families and taking care of ourselves because we spend more time working so that we can pay our bills. We're rushing to get to work on time so we stop off at the nearest fast food place to get something to eat. We work late to meet the needs of our job, which means less time with our spouses and kids.
I am on a quest to lead a more simplified life. The most important parts of my life are quality time with my family/friends and our health. Notice that money and things are not anywhere on that list. We have the tendency to get wrapped up in money and things. In the end, is working late to have extra things really worth it? I am the first to admit that I cannot decorate a home to save my life and I hate clutter. My new self-quiz when I am considering a purchase at the store is, "What is its purpose? Do I really need it?" If I answer no, then I don't buy it. I have finally realized that if it serves no purpose, then it goes back on the shelf. In general, decorations serve no purpose; we should be spending time with family and friends rather than looking at things on the wall or shelf.
I just read an article tonight that mentions that that the average work week for highly qualified professionals is 50-60 hours a week. The website here shows a drastic increase in work hours. Many companies are hiring more part-time employees instead of full-time because they think it will save them money. Sadly, this money-saving technique is at the expense of the employees, including the managers who have to pull extra shifts to pick up the slack. I am really saddened by this.
What is wrong with this picture? When did a father have to decide between working long hours in order to keep his job and spending time with his kids? When did a mother start having to debate whether to stay at home with her children after giving birth? In several European countries, new moms receive 6 months to a year or two full paid maternity leave. In the U.S., we receive 12 weeks, unpaid. Why is there such a difference? Are we that money-hungry that we care more about keeping money in our pockets than allowing a reasonable bonding period of a mother and child? 50 years ago, women did not have to work in order for the bills to get paid. Although, they could if they wanted to. All necessary bills could be paid off of one salary. When did it become the norm to need two salaries just to slide by?
Technology can be amazing, but it can also be detremental. I've seen some pretty explosive temper tantrums in public from children. Since I became a mother, I've started observing the reactions from the parents. What I've noticed is that the kids who had the biggest tantrums were the ones whose parents were basically ignoring them. One mother stood in the isle of a grocery store texting on her cell phone while asking her child if she was ready to go. She was not looking at her daughter, but her daughter was grabbing her mother's arm, trying to get her attention by screaming. I couldn't help but wonder if this could have been prevented by spending more quality time with and valuing what her daughter said.
We complain that we're obese and we complain that our cholesterol or blood pressure is high. Once again, the Mediterranean and several European countries walk...a lot! These countries also eat smaller portions and they have time to make their meals because they're not spending every waking hour stuck in a chair - either at home watching TV or at work. I'm sure the fact that some of these countries have afternoon naps helps too. My theory is: Based on research, working too much and meeting deadlines can cause sleep deprivation and stress. Both of these can lead to poor eating habits. When you're eating bad, not sleeping enough, and working too much, you probably don't have the energy or the time to work out. Thus, leading to obesity and health problems.
Our priorities have greatly shifted in this country, and sadly at the expense of many families' health and stability. Maybe these Mediterranean and European countries are on to something here. The U.S. companies could learn some things from them. More companies should allow more schedule flexibility so that people can spend more time with family and working on their own health. The happier and healthier a person is, the better their performance will be at work.
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