Shorter Workweek Instead of Layoff

A friend of mine told me that a half dozen or so plant employees were laid off from her company. It was a sad day for the plant. In order to not have to layoff the office folks they worked it out so that everyone has two Fridays off per month. My friend was used to working 40 hours per week all of her working life. At first, she thought about the money she would lose, but after the first Friday off, she LOVED it and now she can't wait until her next Friday off.

She called her sister (who is now retired) and told her she would love to have a shorter workweek every week, as it is so wonderful!

Instead of workers being laid off, this company worked it out so that everyone in the office shares the work, and all of the office staff works a shorter workweek. They love those Fridays off and the money isn't as important as time off.

The 40-hour workweek is very hectic. Thanks to the economic downturn, people are discovering how great a shorter workweek is.

Work Less Party of Vancouver, BC has New Film

The Work Less Party of Vancouver BC has a new short film on their web site: Movie 2. I highly recommend watching both of Conrad Schmidt's films. Conrad is the author of Works of the World RELAX: The Simple Economics of Less Industrial Work. He is currently working on another film and book, so stay tuned!

Economic Downturn

With the current economic downturn, now is the time to ask your employer for a shorter workweek, and your employer might even be relieved that you asked! I know a few folks whose companies are cutting back the workweek due to slow sales, etc. These people are happy to have the extra time off, while keeping their current benefits. So, don't be afraid to ask.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Another Reason not to Work too Much

Thanks to Mike of the Shorter Worktime Group for sending us this article:

Toyota Camry engineer died from 'overwork'
July 10, 2008

A Japanese labour bureau has ruled that one of Toyota Motor Corp's top car engineers died from working too many hours, the latest decision against overwork in Japan, where stoic acceptance of extended overtime has long been the norm.

"In the two months up to his death, he averaged more than 80 hours of overtime per month, the criteria for overwork," an officer at the Aichi Labour Bureau, who asked to remain anonymous because she is not an official spokeswoman, said today.

The man who died was aged 45 and had been under severe pressure as the lead engineer in developing a hybrid version of Toyota's blockbuster Camry line, said Mikio Mizuno, the lawyer representing his wife. His identity is being withheld at the request of his family, who continue to live in Toyota City where the company is based.

He regularly worked nights and weekends, was frequently sent abroad and was grappling with shipping a model for the influential North American International Auto Show in Detroit when he died of ischemic heart disease in January 2006.

His daughter found his body at their home the day before he was to leave for the United States.

The ruling was handed down June 30 and will allow his family to collect benefits from his work insurance, Mizuno said.

In a statement, Toyota offered its condolences and said it would work to improve monitoring of the health of its workers.

It is the most recent in a string of decisions against long working hours in Japan, which is struggling to cut down on deaths from overworking, known as "karoshi." Such deaths have steadily increased since the Health Ministry first recognised the phenomenon in 1987.

A court in central Japan last year ordered the government to pay compensation to Hiroko Uchino, the wife of a Toyota employee who collapsed at work and died at age 30 in 2002. She took the case to court after her application to the local labour bureau for compensation was rejected.

AP

http://www.theage.com.au/world/toyota-camry-engineer-died-from-overwork-20080710-3cql.html

Workers of the World Relax Film

You can now view the short film, Workers of the World Relax, at www.workersoftheworldrelax.org or just click on the title of this post. Directed and Produced by Conrad Schmidt of the Work Less Party in Vancouver, BC, this video is a summary of Chapter 4 from Conrad Schmidt's book Workers Of The World Relax: the Simple Economics of Less Industrial Work. Further chapters will be released on video in the future.

PSW Supports Vacation Law

PSW supports a three-week paid vacation law for all Americans. Since a shorter workweek is difficult to get (for most people) unless you work part-time, we need to work on getting a decent vacation for Americans. Most Europeans get 4-6 weeks off a year, and when you think about it, getting a mere one or two weeks off a year out of 52 is just a drop in the bucket.

I am asking everyone to visit the new web site, www.right2vacation.org, and support this organization. And while you are there, you can thank John de Graaf and Joe Robinson for all their work so that we can have more leisure time! Don't forget to tell all your friends.

I have heard more horror stories of people whose health suffered because they worked too much, and even worse, those who have died either right after retirement or at a young age.

Even if you don't have the funds to go anwhere (due to high gas prices and/or low income), you can take a vacation right in your own home by turning off the TV, cell phone, and other electronic devices and letting the answering machine get your phone messages. Then, get a chair, grab a book, fix yourself a tall glass of ice tea, and go out in your back yard (weather permitting) and R-E-L-A-X. Go to your local museum, take a walk in a park. bike to your local tea or coffee shop, relax in a library, etc. Most people don't have time to do these things during a regular workweek.

Your help is needed! Support a vacation law for all Americans!

www.right2vacation.org

Shorter Workweek & Four-Day Workweek are not Necessarily the Same

Now that gas has topped $4.00 per gallon in many cities across the country, several companies are trying out a four-day workweek to help their employees save gas. A lot of people believe that a four-day workweek equals a shorter workweek. This isn't necessarily true. A shorter workweek is a workweek LESS than 40 hours, whether it is 5 days, 4 days, 3 days, etc. A four-day workweek can also be 40 hours per week, and in this case, it is called a COMPRESSED workweek. A compressed workweek can be very stressful, since each day worked consists of at least 10 hours. This makes your day around 14 hours (or longer) from the time you get up until the time you get home. A ten-hour work day is very grueling for anyone; however, it is especially difficult if a you have children, parents or pets to care for.

People for a Shorter Workweek advocates a SHORTER workweek of LESS than 40 hours per week, AND to help save gas and keep fewer cars on the road, PSW would like to see a workweek of 4 days or less, and no more than 32 hours per week.

Take Back Your Time

The TAKE BACK YOUR TIME March 2008 newsletter is now on the TBYT web site at

http://timeday.org/news_March2008.asp

From their web site:

I think you’ll find a lot of interesting material in newest issue. Good news on Family Leave from New Jersey. A thoughtful article on the impact of Paid Family Leave on Children’s Health in different countries by our new board member Anmarie Widener. A review of an important new book, THE LEISURE ECONOMY by Linda Nazareth. A letter from newsletter editor Kelley Smith on how this year’s flu season shows we need paid sick leave. A fine essay on “Natural Time,” by Matt Zeufle.

You’ll also find an update on our campaign for a paid vacation bill, including an invitation to help plan and build a National VACATION MATTTERS Summit for the spring of 2009.

NOTE: People for a Shorter Workweek supports Take Back Your Time Day.

Gas Prices and Shorter Workweek

With gas prices reaching an all-time high, companies should consider allowing people to work a shorter workweek (4-days, 32 hours). Send me your comments about gas prices and the shorter workweek.

What's the Economy for, Anyway?

This conference information is from the Take Back Your Time web site:

WHEN: October 5-7, 2007

WHERE: Washington DC Convention Center (part of the annual Green Festival)

COST: $35 (entire conference, advance registration) or $50 (entire conference, no advance registration or $25 per day). Conference fee includes free admission to Green Festival.

---

What’s the economy for, anyway? Is it just about having the biggest GDP or the highest Dow Jones Average? Or is it about providing for a healthy, happy, fair and sustainable society? If you think quality of life matters, and wonder how the United States compares to other countries when it comes to providing for its people, then the WHAT’S THE ECONOMY FOR, ANYWAY? conference is for you!

Dozens of prominent experts and activists will offers parts of the answer to the big question and offer out-of-the-box ideas about what we can do to make our economy serve us instead of vice-versa. Three tracks include FINDING HAPPINESS, SEEKING JUSTICE and SECURING SUSTAINABILITY.

Nearly 100 confirmed prominent speakers, including the following:

Gar Alperovitz, author of America After Capitalism

Dean Baker, author of The United States Since 1980

Peter Barnes, co-founder of Working Assets and author of Capitalism 3.0

Jared Bernstein, director of The Economic Policy Institute

Chuck Collins, founder, United for a Fair Economy

Ann Crittenden, author of The High Price of Motherhood

John de Graaf, National Coordinator of Take Back Your Time

Riane Eisler, author of The Real Wealth of Nations, The Chalice and the Blade

Nancy Folbre, feminist economist, author of The Invisible Heart

Kim Gandy, President of the National Organization for Women

Tim Kasser, psychologist, author of The High Price of Materialism

Karen Kornbluh, Policy Director for Senator Obama

Celinda Lake, Democratic pollster, author of What Women Really Want

James Lardner, editor of Inequality Matters

Eric Liu, former presidential speechwriter and domestic adviser for Bill Clinton

Hunter Lovins, co-author of Natural Capitalism

Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy, The End of Nature

David Moberg, Senior Editor, In These Times

Frances Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet, Hope's Edge

Julie Nelson, author Economics for Humans

Karen Nussbaum, AFL-CIO, former director, Women's Bureau, US Dept. of Labor

Michael Petit, former Maine Commissioner of Human Services

Miles Rapoport, director, DEMOS

Jerome Ringo, President of Apollo Alliance

Vicki Robin, author of Your Money or Your Life

Joe Robinson, author of Work to Live:  The Guide to Getting a Life

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, co-author of The Motherhood Manifesto

Jim Rubens, former Republican State Senator, New Hampshire

Juliet Schor, author of The Overworked American, Born to Buy

Bill Spriggs, Chairman, Economics Department, Howard University

John Stauber, author of Trust Us, We're Experts, Weapons of Mass Deception

The conference offers 25 individual speeches and nearly 30 workshops.

To see the complete agenda, go to:

http://www.timeday.org/economyconference/agenda.asp

The conference offers nearly 30 workshops. Workshops will include in-depth analysis of current problems, comparisons to the economic performance of other industrial countries, and concrete policy solutions for a happier, healthier, most just and sustainable United States. Conference organizers hope that this conference will mark the beginning of a new national campaign to put the question, “What’s the economy for, anyway?” on the agenda of the 2008 election campaigns and beyond.

Whether you consider yourself an environmentalist, an advocate of social justice, family-friendly policies or universal health care, a union organizer or enlightened business leader, a practitioner of simple living, a student of economics, psychology or politics, a journalist or a wonk, a Democrat, Republican or Green, this conference is for you.

The “What’s the Economy for, Anyway?” project is a program of the Forum on Social Wealth. Financial support comes from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Definition of Shorter Workweek

Some people believe that 4 ten-hour days with Fridays off is a shorter workweek. This is incorrect. The standard in the United States is 40 hours per week. It could be 5 days (8 hours per day), 4 days (10 hours per day) or the alternate 9 schedule. Any way you look at it, 40 hours per week is NOT a shorter workweek.. A shorter workweek is a workweek UNDER 40 hours, which is what People for a Shorter Workweek promotes.

The problem with trying to compress the workweek into four days is working 10 hours per day is too long. Also, many companies that offer this compressed workweek only give a 30-minute lunch break, which is hardly enough time to recuperate after working five hours. The 10 hour per day schedule means a person is away from their home 12-14 hours. Even the alternate 9 schedule is a long day for most people (having every other Friday off).

A more sane schedule is 32 hours per week (four 8 hour days), allowing employees three days off. Since most people can't get their errands done during the week, they must do them on weekends. Running errands is work. People need time to relax and only having one day off isn't enough (when you are using the other day to run errands).

If we can't get a shorter workweek, let's at least work on getting more vacation time in the US. Unlike Europe, the US does not have a vacation law, so most Americans might get one or two weeks vacation per year, and because of layoffs and mergers, many people have lost their 4-5 week vacations.

ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON SHORTER WORKWEEK/MORE VACATION TIME:

The Work Less Party of Canada promotes a 4-day, 32-hour workweek.

The Five Day Weekend group from Asheville, NC promotes a 2-day workweek.

Take Back Your Time has launched a campaign for a vacation law in the US!

If you are interested in getting your life back and having more time off, please support these organizations! The links to these sites are on the left side of this blog.

Five-Day Weekend Organization in Asheville, NC

I just found out about a new group in Asheville, NC that supports a five-day weekend, with two days of work.

Here's some information from their web site:

"The major goal of the Five Day Weekend is simple: We want to reverse the U.S. workweek so that Americans clock in for two good days of work, followed by five well-earned days off.

Why? Because overwork has become a major problem for Americans, and it's getting worse by the year. The two-day weekend was created in 1930, and despite decades of unparalleled technology growth, our people are actually working more and more each year."

For more information about this organization, visit http://www.fivedayweekend.org.

If you can successfully live off money earned in two days per week, then the Five-Day Weekend is a great idea! It might take living with several roommates, making all your own meals instead of eating out, shopping at thrift stores, driving an old car or going car-less, etc. It's all about making choices. In my opinion, part-time work is a great idea. Just don't expect to get a full benefit package, although you could get some benefits, depending upon the company you work for. You might also want to be your own boss and forget the benefits. After all, if you have five days off each week, it's like having a vacation every week. When you work less, you have less stress and less illness, so the benefits may not be as important as having the time off. Time off is the greatest benefit!

Commentary: Work Time and Global Warming

By Charles Siegel (05-08-07)

As part of the Measure G process, Berkeley should consider policies to give employees the option of down-shifting economically by working less. Though it is not much talked about, choice of work hours is one key to dealing with global warming.

Today, the economy must grow in tandem with increased productivity, regardless of how much people actually want to consume. Because of improved technology, the average American worker produces about 2.3 percent more in an hour each year— which means that a worker produced eight times as much each hour in 2000 as in 1900. As long as work time remains constant, total output per worker grows by 2.3 percent a year, doubling every 33 years.

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through conservation and cleaner fuels are likely to be overwhelmed by this constant increase in output. To stabilize world climate, we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically during this century, and there is little or no chance of doing this if per capita output grows eight-fold during this century. An alternative to this hyper-growth economy is to give people the option of reducing their work hours. This opens the possibility of using increased productivity to work fewer hours, rather than to produce and consume more. Yet most Americans today have no choice of work hours. Almost all good jobs are full time, while most part-time jobs have low pay and no benefits. The economist Juliet Schor found that, if the average American male worker reduced his hours by 20 percent, he would reduce his earnings by 50 percent, because part-time workers have lower wages and fewer benefits. (The average female worker would reduce her earnings by a bit less, because women are more likely to have worked part-time during part of their lives, and so they are already discriminated against.) To give people the opportunity to choose to work shorter hours, we need to:

• End discrimination against part-time workers. By law, part-time workers should have the same hourly earnings as full-time workers and should have equivalent benefits, seniority, and chance of promotion. The European Union already protects part-time workers from discrimination.

• Create high-quality part-time jobs: The Netherlands and Germany have laws saying that, if a full-time employee asks to work shorter hours, the employer must accommodate the request unless it will be a hardship to the business. As a weaker but still effective policy, we could give businesses tax incentives to their employees the option of working shorter hours. These policies would give Americans the option of working less and consuming less. Even a relatively small change could make a big difference.

The average American works 1,817 hours a year, and the average West European works 1,562 hours a year. A recent study by Harvard University economist Mark Weisbrot found that, if Americans worked as few hours as West Europeans, it would lower our energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent. More important, Weisbrot found that, if the developing nations imitate the American model of work hours, world temperatures will rise 4.5 degrees by 2050, all else being equal. But if the developing nations imitate the European model of work hours, world temperatures will rise by 2.5 degrees—a very substantial difference caused by work-time alone, apart from other policies to reduce emissions.

Moving to a European model of work hours would not involve any great sacrifice. On the contrary, I think that West Europeans are better off than Americans because they have more time for their families and their own interests, rather than having more freeways and bigger SUVs.

Berkeley took a leading role in promoting the civil rights movement and feminist movement during the 20th century. Now it is time for us to take a leading role in promoting the movement toward shorter work hours and simpler living that is a political imperative during the age of global warming.

Charles Siegel is the author of The End of Economic Growth.

NOTE: This article is from The Berkeley Daily Planet, Berkeley, California. For a more complete version of this article with graphs, see http://www.preservenet.com/studies/WorkTimeGlobalWarming.html.

Companies Allow Flexible Schedules

This was from a recent article on MSNBC.com by Michelle Kosinski:

Best Buy corporate has invented a system called ROWE — Results-Only Work Environment — in which you go to the office only when you want to. The end result — how much you get done — is all that matters. Best Buy says productivity has jumped 35 percent, with turnover and low morale all but gone.

At Sun Microsystems they've saved some $400 million in real estate costs by allowing nearly half of all employees to work anywhere they want.

And at IBM, on any given day 42 percent of the global workforce does not go to the workplace.

MY NOTE: Even though these companies allow flextime, this doesn't necessarily mean employees are working shorter hours; in fact, they could be working more; however having flexibility in your schedule means less stress and certainly a happier employee!

Charles Siegel's Report on Work Time & Global Warming

Charles Siegel, the Director of The Preservation Institute in Berkeley, California,
has written a brief paper saying that shorter work hours are a key to dealing with
global warming.  Here is the link for his report:

http://www.preservenet.com/studies/WorkTimeGlobalWarming.html

This is a four-page booklet written to make the general public aware of the issues
that are involved.  Charles supports choice of work hours rather than a shorter
standard workweek for several reasons.

ON SOCIAL GROUNDS: The standard work week is a relic of a time when families
generally were supported by one bread winner, but families are much more diverse
today. There is no reason for a father supporting a wife and three children to work
the same number of hours as a childless couple with two incomes.

ON POLITICAL GROUNDS: Changing the standard work week creates political problems,
because labor wants shorter hours without less pay, which business resists.
Allowing choice of work hours avoids this problem and focuses the political debate
on the real issue, that people should have the option of downshifting economically
and consuming less.

ON ECONOMIC GROUNDS: Choice of work hours allows people to maximize their own
well-being by choosing between more consumption and more free time. This is similar
to the economic choice between any two commodities.  It is a very basic point of
economic theory that, if you require people to consume a given amount, you reduce
overall well-being.  If we required everyone to buy a given amount of roast beef,
we would reduce the well being of people who don't like roast beef, and if we
require everyone to work a given number of hours, we reduce the well-being of
people who want to consume less (or more)overall than the average person.

ON POLITICAL AND SOCIAL GROUND AGAIN: As a reaction to global warming, there could
be a strong voluntary simplicity movement during the 21st century. Many people could
decide to work less and consume less to save the world's environment.  But people
can make this decision only if they have choice of work hours.  A voluntary
simplicity movement has to be based on this voluntary choice.

This blog entry was written by Charles Siegel of The Preservation Institute, Berkeley, 
California.  E-mail: preserve@preservenet.com or siegel@preservenet.com.

Thank you, Charles for sending me this information via the Shorter Worktime Group.

Shorter Workweek & the Environment

Here is the link to a recent report from the CEPR (Center for Economic & Policy Research in Washington, DC) on shorter work hours and the environment. The title of the report is Are Shorter Work Hours Good for the Environment? A Comparison of U.S. and European Energy Consumption.

http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/energy_2006_12.pdf

In my opinion, the shorter workweek will give us more time, energy and reduce stress. It will also be good for the environment, as we will have one or more days per week where we are not commuting to a job. When we are not commuting via car, truck or bus, we are conserving fuel and not contributing to Global Warming. There would also be a lot less congestion on the freeways, which would mean less accidents and road rage.

How to Get Out of the 40+ Workweek: Work Part-Time!

Have you given up trying to get your employer to give you a shorter workweek? Most companies in the US are on the standard workweek of 40 hours, and if you are lucky, you get some benefits from working those 40 hours. If you want a shorter workweek of 30-32 hours, for example, you could lose your benefits. Also, if you are used to a good salary, it may be hard for you to just give up your job. Remember, working 40+ hours per week gives you little time for family, friends, animal friends and leisure pursuits. Working too much can cause serious health problems as well.

For those of you willing to give up your job and try something new, you can either apply for part-time jobs (some part-time jobs have benefits) or start your own part-time business from home. Many part-time jobs are low-paying jobs, but if you downsize and learn to live simply, you can be happier making less money and working less than making more money and working more! There's a lot of information about part-time jobs on the Internet. Just Google the word "part-time" and see what comes up!

Also, once you start working part-time, you will be surprised at how much more relaxed you will be. There's more time for everything in your life when you work less! There are so many things you can do to cut back on your expenses: give up cable TV, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, etc. What about trading in your new, expensive car for a nice, used one or get rid of your car completely and buy a scooter, motorcycle or bicycle? You can downsize and live in a smaller home, and all your utility bills will be less when you live in a smaller space.

Some states have an insurance plan for people who meet certain income guidelines. If you work less and make less, chances are that you might qualify for their health plan too. You might also qualify for a reduction in your utility bills if your income is low. Do you want to work out and stay in shape? Some YMCA's offer a plan for people with low income and may have a scholarship as well. Always ask if there's any discount for low income.

The bottom line is don't be fearful of making less money. Give part-time work a try and see what happens. Also, as you get older, you probably will not want to work full-time. You may have heard stories of people working so hard, then they retired at 65 and dropped dead a few weeks later. My sister told me a story of a manager who worked in her company. He worked many years as a manager for this company. When he retired recently, they had a retirement party for him, and two weeks later, he was dead! Cause of death: heart attack. If you want to be a workaholic, go right ahead, but watch out. You can work, work, work and have more money, but what good is it if you've lost your health as a result?

Remember, Work LESS, Play MORE, Enjoy LIFE! That's our motto!

Shorter Workweek & Healthcare Benefits

Many people in America work 40 hours per week because it gives them healthcare benefits such as medical, dental and vision; however many companies don't offer any healthcare benefits for full-time employees, and it seems that only larger companies offer the best benefits overall. The challenge (when you are wanting to work a shorter workweek) is how to maintain your current benefits or perhaps go outside the company to find a plan that you can afford. If you work half time (20 hours per week), your benefits may be cut in half as well. A large percentage of people work full-time just to get healthcare benefits, as they don't like their jobs, and they dislike working 40 hours per week.

Since the United States doesn't have a National Healthcare Plan, it means that you have to either be without insurance, purchase it at a very high cost or find a state that has a subsidized plan (such as Washington State's Basic Health Plan). Of course, with a plan such as Basic Heath, you can't earn over a certain amount, so it doesn't encourage a person to find a job that pays enough to live on.

A new book (published in 2005) entitled Uninsured in America: Life & Death in the Land of Opportunity by Susan Starr Sered and Rushika Fernandopulle lists some interesting resources in the back of their book. Some of the web sites mentioned are as follows:

http://www.coveringkidsandfamilies.org

http://covertheuninsured.org/stateguides/

http://www.ask.hrsa.gov/pc/

http://www.needymeds.com/

http://www.rxassist.org/

http://www.accessproject.org/

http://www.communitycatalyst.org/

http://www.familiesusa.org/

For more information about this book and to read the introduction, visit the following web site:

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10379/10379.intro.html

Michael Moore's newest film, Sicko, is scheduled to be out in the theaters sometime in 2007. On his web site, Michael states that Sicko is "a comedy about 45 million people with no health care in the richest country on earth." For more information about his film, visit http://www.michaelmoore.com.

There are a few companies in the United States that offer healthcare benefits for people working 20 hours a week, but they are usually service companies whose starting salaries are close to minimum wage, such as a coffee company and some grocery stores. Also these jobs are grueling and tiring, so they seem to attract very young workers, who never seem to need insurance anyway. We need a National Healthcare Plan in the US, and not one that is tied to employment; however, who knows how long it will take before we see changes in our healthcare system.

I know several people (over 45 years of age) who don't have any health insurance. They work for themselves, and most work a shorter workweek. Of course, they would like to have insurance, but they can't afford to pay for it. These people do not worry about not having it, as they mentioned that it doesn't do any good to worry. At least they are doing work they love and maintaining a good Work/Life balance.

I hope the above web sites and the book will be of some help to all of you.

Please leave comments here about how you manage to work a shorter workweek and maintain your health insurance.

Job Sharing - A Great Way to Get a Shorter Workweek

It can be difficult to get a shorter workweek at your current place of employment, as so many companies are asking people to work MORE than 40 hours per week. A friend of mine works at a production plant (four 10-hour days). They were told yesterday they now have mandatory overtime and will now be working 12 hours per day Monday through Thursday AND 10 hours on Friday until a few days before Christmas. Can you imagine 12-hour days? I can't even imagine 10-hour days, and I don't like the 8-hour day either.

Today, I discovered a NEW web site for people who are interested in Job Sharing, http://www.jobshareconnection.com. The article where I found this web site was entitled "Share a job, keep a job" from today's St. Petersburg Times. I encourage you to check out this web site and let others know about it as well.

Job Sharing can be the answer to a Shorter Worktime advocate's dream. If you can work it out so that you only have to go into your office 2 days one week and 3 the next instead of 4 hours a day, five days a week, that would really help lower your gas expense as well as reduce your stress.

You may have a reduction in your benefits such as vacation, sick time and health care, but perhaps you can work that out with your employer. Overall, I believe this is one of the best ways to lower your working hours and have a better Work/Life balance.

Looking To Get Out of the Rat Race? Two New Books are a Must Read!

Getting tired of the Rat Race? Have you been trying to get a Shorter Workweek for years, but the boss is not willing to listen? Are you tired of working Monday through Friday, and sometimes on Saturday with a 40+ hour workweek?

Two new books have been published that may offer you some hope as well as new ideas:

Real Success Without a Real Job: There Is No Life Like It! by Canadian author Ernie J. Zelinski

How to be Free by British author Tom Hodgkinson

Ernie's web site is http://www.thejoyofnotworking.com

Tom's web site is http://www.idler.co.uk

People for a Shorter Workweek also has a book list of very interesting books that can help you on your road to recovery from the Rat Race. Please email us at moreleisure @ yahoo dot com with a "Request for the PSW Booklist" in the subject line.