...it's time to slow down America!

http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/benamon/060703

"He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul's estate."--Henry David Thoreau

There have been so many times I've heard people say, "If only I had more time in the day...", or, "I've just got so much work to do, so little time." But when are we as a society, going to slow down and start taking time out for ourselves and those we care about?

A recent study by CareerBuilder.com found that 28 percent of working fathers view their jobs as having a negative effect on the bonds with their children. An astounding 44 percent admitted they would settle for reduced pay (up to 5 percent) for more quality time with their kids.

What does that say about most Americans' lifestyles in regards to work?? We don't know how to slow down, even when we need to do so. We continue in this mindless schedule, day after day, putting work first when it should be family first. Our careers are a means to supply our families with necessities and the good things in life. And it provides us a chance to offer our unique talents. But all of that is meaningless when we are not allowing ourselves to connect and truly value time spent with loved ones, even when our very being screams ...STOP!

Americans are working longer hours...we are, in general, workaholics. Americans surpass Europeans by working 9 weeks more a year (350 hours more). Among the industrialized nations, Americans work the longest hours. The Japanese work long and hard, but even they know how to take breaks. The answer to a demanding schedule for the Japanese is to take mid-day siestas. Hotels in Japan offer rooms for an hour to tired businesspeople to take catnaps. Maybe as Americans, we should take a cue from them to rejuvenate our bodies and slow down during the day.

People are stressed out, and stress leads to all sorts of health problems. Anxiety for one. Never before do so many people rely on prescription drugs to combat their anxiety. The anxiety can be alleviated if many people were allowed to take time off from work, and if they realized that working yourself to death is not good for anyone.

Take time to breathe, relax. Many wonder why our health suffers and why there are so many incidents of road rage. It's not a disorder, as defined as Intermittent Explosive Disorder, or(IED) as study by the National Institutes of Mental Health suggests. What road rage is…a characteristic of a frustrated, tired, and worn out driver who allows any little thing to get them upset. I'm surprised there aren't more people having fits behind the wheel in rush hour traffic, we have so much on our plates these days.

Imagine if we could cut down on the number of people taking drugs for sleeplessness, anxiety, and moodiness. All by allowing people the time to take vacations and spend time with their family. Wouldn't we see incidents like road rage cut in half?

The only way to balance work and home life is to make priority changes. What is most important in your life? Are you willing to step back, take a look at your health and the well being and that of your family and change your lifestyle pattern?

Until Americans realize that work should not envelop every other responsibility in life, we will remain unhappy, grumpy, worn out, and frustrated, and strung out on drugs that do us more harm in the long run. It's time to get a better perspective on what life is about.

Spend time taking care of yourself. You cannot be replaced, there is only one "you" in the world. No one is any good to society if they are always stressed out. Refusing to put down the work once we are home also has a negative effect on our close relationships, so put that work down!

Let's keep all of this in mind during the 4th of July holiday and beyond, because we all need vacation time (or at least some "down time") to keep our sanity.

Let's take time for ourselves!

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