This blog comes to you while I am gallivanting around the Sri Lankan countryside. I have left the computer at home and will be having three weeks to just relax. But that is not the Australian way. We call ourselves the "Lucky Country" and the image of going surfing, playing footy or just having a BBQ comes to mind when you think of Australian Lifestyle.
But research by the Australia Institute shows that Australia has that longest hours of work in the developed world.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that:
Very long hours of work (50 hours or more per week) have become more common for full-time workers in the 20 years since 1985, particularly for men. In 2005, 30% of men working full-time worked 50 hours or more per week, up from 22% in 1985. Fewer women working full-time worked very long hours, with 16% working 50 hours or more per week in 2005, up from 9% in 1985.
Personally, I have met people that wear their annual leave entitlement like a badge of honour!! "I've got 200 days of annual leave owing! I haven't had a proper holiday for 15 years!!!"
That is INSANE!!! You need rest and recreation because it is Re Creation. It rebuilds yourself and restores your energy. In Australia, we typically get four weeks of annual leave a year. I believe you should have all four weeks in that year. No matter how important you think you are, the place will not fall down without you!
So what about you? How much leave do you have owing and when will you take your next holiday?
Enjoy!
1 comment:
Whenever somebody asks me to work overtime I like to remind them of the statue that stands at the corner of Russell & Victoria Pde in Melbourne that commemorates the establishment of the 40 hour work week with the intention of 8 hours labour, 8 hours sleep, and 8 hours recreation per day.
If it was important 50 years ago it is even more important for us today.
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