Purple Heart Homes Adopts a 4-Day, 32 hour Workweek

 https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/01/26/more-businesses-are-adopting-four-day-work-weeks

Learn more about Purple Heart Homes and how they help Veterans at PurpleHeartHomesUSA.org or phhusa.org.

Four-day, 32 Hour Workweek Allows Exceptional Work/Life Balance at New Zealand Company

Perpetual Guardian in New Zealand, had a trial shorter workweek (with the same pay) in their company and it was a huge success!

According to an article in The Guardian, "Perpetual Guardian founder Andrew Barnes came up with the idea in an attempt to give his employees better work-life balance, and help them focus on the business while in the office on company time, and manage life and home commitments on their extra day off."

According to CBN News at CBN.com, "American adults are already known as the hardest working in the world, working an average 47 hours per week. That's much higher than other western countries like Denmark (28), France (28), Netherlands (27), Norway (27), and Germany (26)."

Even if Americans work only four days a week, they are working 10+ hours per day. How can any human stand to work that many hours in one day? In my opinion, even eight hours per day is too much.

Countries in Europe with the Best Work/Life Balance

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/countries-with-best-work-life-balance-in-europe/amp

This article is by Caitlin Morton, dated February 2, 2018.

Clockwork in Minneapolis is a Great Place to Work!

Clockwork Active Media, a Minneapolis-based digital agency, provides employees with unlimited vacation time, flexible hours, and ice cold beer on tap. How cool is that?  You can even bring your children to work.

Unlimited vacation time?  Wow!  This is an unusual company for sure!

Ad Agency Gives Workers 500 Paid Hours to Pursue Passions

A Minneapolis ad agency (BDM) gave workers an amazing gift this summer - time, and not just a few hours, but a whopping 500, AND with pay!  President and Executive Creative Director Stuart D'Rozario said, "You have 500 hours of your life back; figure out what you're passionate about and go do it."

BDM's workers were told the 500 paid hours were theirs to use as they wished. The only thing they could not do was "nothing." The company told them to find something they have always wanted to do but hadn't had the time.

Here's the story:

http://www.kare11.com/Land_of_10000_stories/article/1035771/57/Ad-agency-gives-workers-500-paid-hours-to-pursue-passions

Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job

A friend of mine recently told me about a great book entitled Quitter:  Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job by John Acuff.  If you are still working for someone else and want to be your own boss or have a dream job in mind, read this book!  For more formation visit John Acuff's web site, http://www.quitterbook.com/.  The book description below is from Amazon.com.

Have you ever felt caught between the tension of a day job and a dream job? That gap between what you have to do and what you'd love to do?

I have.

At first I thought I was the only one who felt that way, but then I started to talk to people and realized we're becoming the I'm, but generation. When we talk about what we do for a living we inevitably say, I'm a teacher, but I want to be an artist. I'm a CPA, but I'd love to start my own business.

I'm a _____, but I want to be a ______.

All too often, we hear that dreaming big means you quit your day job, sell everything you own, and move to Guam. But what if there were a different way?

What if you could blow up your dream without blowing up your life?

What if you could go for broke without going broke?

What if you could start today?

What if you already have everything you need to begin?

From figuring out what your dream is to quitting in a way that exponentially increases your chance of success, Quitter is full of inspiring stories and actionable advice. This book is based on 12 years of cubicle living and my true story of cultivating a dream job that changed my life and the world in the process.

It's time to close the gap between your day job and your dream job.

It's time to be a Quitter.  ---John Acuff 

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.