05 September 2005

Labor Day

From a NY Times Op-Ed:
...But because the French work 35 hours a week, Americans sneer, forgetting that in many years French workers have a higher productivity rate than their American counterparts - proof that you can work better by working less.

Americans also forget that going to work every day is often more a chore than a pleasure. You seem more and more disillusioned about work: only a third of you say that you love your jobs. In such conditions, it's not surprising that you spend on average two hours of your workday ... not working. Answering personal e-mail messages, shopping online, playing computer games or chatting with co-workers ... it's so much more pleasant than working, really.

Only two hours a day? Hell, I might play two hours of foosball on a good (bad?) day. Then there are the days when I work 18 hours straight. It's just the nature of an intellectual job---when you're hot, you're hot, and when you're not you play around. Fortunately, I have an employer who realizes the capricious nature of Physics research---I wish everyone was so lucky in their "boss".

P.S.---I love my job! Guess I'm part of the lucky 1/3.

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