“But you are the average of the five people you associate with most, so do not underestimate the effects of your pessimistic, unambitious, or disorganized friends. If someone isn’t making you stronger, they’re making you weaker.” Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek
Many of you might be thinking that my headline should have been “ARE YOU GETTING READY TO WELCOME THE FOUR DAY WORK WEEK?” No, my friends, the four day work week has been in play for a long time. John Maynard Keynes predicted in 1929 that technology would bring the workweek down to just 15 hours within 100 years. Then came Timothy Ferriss with the Four Hour Workweek which was published in 2007. Ferriss promises a way to get all the rewards of working without having to wait until the end of your career. However, the current discussion is about the Four Day Workweek which Robert Grosse wrote about and published in 2018.
Now we know that the idea of a Four Day Workweek is not new, it has been ongoing for several years and many are already living it. At the moment, there are active pilot projects being conducted in the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA. Many other nations will follow this year. Iceland conducted a four year pilot from 2015 to 2019, and while it showed an overall increase in well being, productivity remained the same at 86%. Microsoft, Japan did a very successful pilot in 2019 which saw increased productivity. However, in the USA, in a survey of 459 companies, 91% were not considering a shorter work week.
The Great Resignation has illustrated that workers are no longer interested in job security; they are seeking to have FREEDOM. On the other hand, there are many Home Based Businesses to choose from. There are some very profitable side hustles that can be more rewarding than fixed salaried jobs. With a small amount to be invested, some persons have become Forex Traders, Stock Investors, Cryptocurrency Investors, etc. With the right personality and attitude, many have realised their true potential in Network Marketing, Motivational Speaking, Lifestyle Coaching, and Knowledge Sharing – promoting proven ideas that the world is waiting for.
What will you do with a three-day weekend? Will you do anything different than what you are doing now with two days? There are endless possibilities, none greater than your personal development. Your long felt desire to be a better person and enjoy a more fulfilling life can become a reality. Inculcate new habits such as reading and community involvement. Advance your education, learn new skills, and enjoy family. The opportunities for self development/improvement are endless. Let us welcome a four-day workweek. The Standard of living will improve. Life will have new meaning. Time will no longer be referred to as MONEY but rather TIME will be seen as being INVALUABLE, giving everyone an equal opportunity to live an abundant life.
It is always discomforting to me to watch persons who make no contribution to life. These persons would have done nothing to leave this world a better place than they met it. In many instances, it is not their fault, those who saw the light and lived successful lives have failed in their duty to motivate others to live their best lives.
Delinquency does not come along overnight, it is a process. Many of the crimes that we witness today festered because many well intentioned citizens turned a blind eye and said it is not my child, nor my relative, instead of being their brother/sister’s keeper. It is not too late to mend, even though it will be much more difficult at this time. The horse has left the stable. With more time on our hands, whenever that time comes for us to enjoy the three-day weekend, if you choose to do nothing to improve yourself socially or financially, do something to help your neighbour. The need for help is all around us.
I leave you with a simple task, as you go about your daily duties and come into contact with colleagues and friends. Ask this question – Do you belong to any social organisation? You will be surprised at the number of persons who will give No as their answer. That is the world in which we live. It was not this way in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Life was simply beautiful when everyone was proud to say, I am a member of some sort of club. There is a lot to do with your time when the four-Day Work Week comes along. We must begin to educate our citizens to respond to this change when it occurs. Maybe, it is time to see a heading in the budget to assist in the formation of social clubs throughout the island.
Stay healthy and keep safe. COVID 19 and its variants are still with us. Follow the protocols and ensure others do. We have work to do, so please stay alive. Blessings!
Edward Harris
Freelance Journalist/Realtor/Business Consultant
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Email: eaharrisdestiny@gmail.com
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