Can't Find a Job? Work Part-Time and Live a Simple Life

It seems it is in the news daily...more people can't find work, especially those over 50. I know a few people who have been looking for full-time work for two years. I also know another person who finally found work, but it took him two years, and he now has to commute. It's the same sad story all over the United States. Even recent college graduates are having a hard time finding work. Right now, the jobs that people are finding are only part-time, since many employers can't hire full-time and/or they don't want to offer health insurance.

What's the answer? Now's the time to look at your expenses and see if you can live more simply. You can live in an Intentional Community with others, or if you own your own home, you can either downsize or rent out a couple of rooms to like-minded people. Co-housing, a form of Intentional Community, is another option. I know a woman who sold her home and moved into a room with her two dogs. She also house sits for others. I also know a man who has never owned his own home. He rents a room and also house sits. These people live a simple life, unburdened by material possessions. You can get creative and find meaningful work you love, especially when the economy is in bad shape.

Since most employers are not interesting in "spreading the work load," which means less layoffs and gives more people jobs, people who are not employed have to think about the skills they have to offer and create their own work. Check out 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. This is an excellent book for anyone in transition, whether you want to work for someone else or become an entrepreneur. Also, review the list of interesting web sites listed on the left side of my blog.

Dan Buettner and the "Blue Zones"

Dan Buettner searched the world to find out what makes people happy. In his latest book, Thrive: Finding Happiness The Blue Zones Way, he talks about "Thrive Centers" which are interconnected: community, workplace, social life, financial life, home and self. On page 216, in Chapter 6 (Lessons in Thriving), he states "Limit the Workweek. When it comes to long-term happiness, personal income fails to provide much of a boost for Americans once a household rises above the $60,000-a-year threshold. Individuals who work long hours have less time for social interaction, education, culture, sports and volunteer work. They're also more likely to suffer chronic diseases and a poor family life. The Danish-mandated maximum of 37 hours per week is a good benchmark."

On page 70 (the chapter about Denmark), he states "Most Danes work 37 hours a week and go home to their families or their associations. They take an average of six weeks vacation. If people work for money, they do so to get just enough. The lesson: Knock off at 5 p.m. and take your vacations. The Danes' Protestant work ethic is tempered by their understanding that working too hard - or too long - is a waste of time. So they get their jobs done and pursue other things they enjoy."

Dan Buettner is an internationally recognized researcher, explorer and author. He founded Blue Zones to research the world's best practices in health, longevity and happiness.

This is an excellent book.

Take Back Your Time Has YouTube Channel

Take Back Your Time now has a YouTube channel. Nearly all the lectures from their 2009 Vacation Matters Summit are available on this YouTube channel. The Vacation Matters Summit was held in Seattle, Washington, a project of Take Back Your Time. Video filming and production by Todd Boyle.

To access the videos, click HERE. On the right side of the page there are "playlists" of the talks that have been posted so far. Because posted videos have to be less than 10 minutes long, the playlists are the easiest way to collect the clips in chronological order.

Speakers include Joe Robinson, Sarah Speck, Arnold Pallay, Peter Fraenkel, Suzy Ross, Cecile Andrews and Mara Adelman.

21 Hours - Why a Shorter Working Week Can Help Us All to Flourish in the 21st Century

According to the The New Economics Foundation (NEF) in Britain, a ‘normal’ working week of 21 hours could help to address a range of urgent, interlinked problems: overwork, unemployment, over-consumption, high carbon emissions, low well-being, entrenched inequalities, and the lack of time to live sustainably, to care for each other, and simply to enjoy life.

NEF is an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being. Their goal is to improve quality of life by promoting innovative solutions that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and social issues. They work in partnership and put people and the planet first.

To download the free 40 page pdf of the 21 hour workweek, click HERE.

Gross National Happiness Conference in Vermont

John de Graaf spoke at the Gross National Happiness conference in Vermont this week. John is the national coordinator of Take Back Your Time, an organization challenging time poverty and overwork in the U.S. and Canada (see www.timeday.org). He is the co-author of the best-selling Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic. John has written two other books and numerous magazine articles and has been active in promoting GNH. He has worked for 33 years as a filmmaker with 15 films shown in prime time on PBS. His latest film, What's the Economy for, Anyway? was shown at the GNH 2010 conference.

Gross National Happiness USA envisions a sustainable future, based on the use of a comprehensive set of social progress indicators that reflects our American values and truly supports life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In general, those who work a shorter workweek are happier, as they have more time for friends, family, pets and themselves. People for a Shorter Workweek supports GNH-USA, and we encourage you to check out their web site to learn more about this organization.

Reducing Work Time as a Path to Sustainability

Worldwatch Institute, a globally-focused environmental research organization based in Washington, D.C., has a new publication - State of the World 2010 - Transforming Cultures: From Consumerism to Sustainability. Sixty renowned researchers and practitioners describe how to reorient cultures toward sustainability. In this publication, there is a essay entitled Reducing Work Time as a Path to Sustainability, written by John de Graaf. John is the Executive Director of Take Back Your Time, a documentary filmmaker and co-author of Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic. To view this essay, click HERE and scroll down to the section, THE POWER OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.

Work to Live, 2nd Edition is Now Available!

Joe Robinson's important book on work/life balance, Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life has now been updated with new information and a new cover!

Here's some information about the book from Joe's web site:

Overcome job burnout
Escape the automatic stress cycle
Work fewer hours, get more done
Control runaway E-tools
Learn how to say no
Set boundaries between work and home
Increase your vacation time
Create your Personal Life List (what do you want to do on this planet?)

For more information about the 2nd edition, vist Joe's web site, WorkToLive.info.