Rescuing the Weekend
Leisure time has become almost as extinct as the
white rhino and the California condor. What has happened
to the weekend? How many times have you taken work home
on Friday, gone into the office for a few hours on
Saturday or spent Sunday afternoon preparing for a
Monday morning presentation? Two days of rest and
relaxation seems like an extinct concept. Yes folks, the
weekend is officially on the endangered species list.
A recent study by the Steelcase Workplace Index
revealed that 73% of Americans work on the weekend
either in the office or at home. And the numbers are
even higher for those who are self-employed. Part of the
blame lies with the sluggish economy. As companies
downsize, remaining employees shoulder heavier work
loads and log more hours. Keeping your job often means
staying later, coming in earlier, and working on the
weekends. “My company eliminated the positions of
several people in my department,” says Ellen, an arts
administrator from Atlanta. “The work still needs to be
done, so everyone else is pedaling harder and that means
coming in on Saturdays and Sundays.”
The economy isn’t the only reason that weekends are
being invaded by work. Lap-top computers, wireless
internet connections, cell phones and fully equipped
home offices blur the line between home and work and
make it easy to slide from the living room to the board
room. “I can check my e-mail from home and,” Ellen says
“sometimes I check it several times a day. It’s easy to
get lured away from the weekend and into the workplace.”
Work isn’t just invading our homes. It’s creeping
into our community life as well. It’s at Little League
games where parents peck on laptops between innings and
in movie theaters where beepers and pagers add another
layer to the soundtrack. “My cell phone is practically
an extension of my body. It has to be,” says Joan
McCabe, a corporate events planner in Manhattan. “If
clients can’t reach me 24/7 they’ll take their business
elsewhere.” Are these devices miracles of convenience or
an electronic albatross? “Probably both,” says Judy
Casey of the Boston College Center for Work and Family.
“Some women feel that they need to exceed expectations
in the workplace and that working seven days a week is
the only way to achieve that competitive edge. Others
may actually find a refuge from the chaos of family life
in the predictability of work. But all work and no play
can lead to burn out and resentment. You can’t work
without a break and not suffer some serious
consequences.
Can we take back our weekends and claim the leisure
time that we deserve? “Yes,” says Casey. “But first we
have to break our old patterns and even retrain those
around us.” Here are some of her recommendations:
Determine if your
company is understaffed.
“If you are working every weekend, you may need to hire
more people – even if on a per project basis.” says
Casey.
Let your boss know
that you have plans for the weekend.
Tell your boss you are not
available to work.
Evaluate your work
load. Early in
the week determine how much work you anticipate. Plan
to come in early or stay late when there are fewer
distractions.
Leave all
non-essential electronics turned off unless you are
using them.
Retrieve messages when you are ready – not as they come
in.
Make sure your e-mail
server has an auto response option.
This lets people know when
you will get back to them.
Plan weekend
activities that you like.
Doing things that are more
fun than work makes it less likely that you’d be willing
to go to work.
Don’t circulate your
cell phone number.
Use your phone for outgoing
calls only.
Set limits.
If you do have to go
into the office or work from home, set the alarm clock
for one hour. When it rings, turn off the computer and
get back to your weekend.
Consider changing jobs.
Be aware that some fields such as real estate, food
service, and retail require heavy commitments to working
on the weekends.
When it is truly
necessary to work on a weekend, do it cheerfully and
then resolve your determination to keep every other
weekend work-free.
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