Today is October 24, Take Back Your Time Day.
- TAKE BACK YOUR TIME is a major U.S./Canadian initiative to challenge the epidemic of overwork, over-scheduling and time famine that now threatens our health, our families and relationships, our communities and our environment.Did you know…
- We’re putting in longer hours on the job now than we did in the 1950s, despite promises of a coming age of leisure before the year 2000.
- Mandatory overtime is at near record levels.
- On average, we work nearly nine full weeks (350 hours) longer per year than our peers in Western Europe do.
- Working Americans average a little over two weeks of vacation per year, while Europeans average five to six weeks. Many of us (including 37% of women earning less than $40,000 per year) get no paid vacation at all.–taken from the website
This is a “secular” initiative, although I think it has obvious spiritual implications.
The goal is to raise awareness (it’s patterned after Earth Day) and also advocate for more family- and worker-friendly policies relating to vacation, sick time, and part-time employment.
How am I spending Take Back Your Time day? Working a 12-hour day at the church, with a meeting in the morning and another in the evening.
Eh.
Tomorrow I will have some breathing space. It will be my own TBYT day.
And next August’s “tickler” file has a note in it to consider how our Kairos Ministry, a contemplative ministry at Suburban Pres., might engage in some publicity around this idea.
How are you spending your time today?
10 Responses to “happy “take back your time” day”
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» I have been remiss in posting SBJ’s latest stats: 23 pounds and 27 inches at six months. Yes, I’ve got the big mama biceps.
» Aaaaaand little she-who-is lost another tooth this week!
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Today’s pretty average:
9:00-10:00 prepare for work, get bike back together after not riding for a few weeks
10:00-10:30 ride to work
11:00-3:00 work
3:00-3:30 ride to Starbucks
4:00-5:45 work on film at Starbucks
5:45-6:00 ride home
6:00-8:30 little boys with colds
8:30-2:00 work on film in living room
5-7 get up, moving, dressed, little one too, and breakfast for him, and to pre-school (he usually gets up around 6, but this morning woke up early to use the potty-the down side to night time potty training)
7-3:30ish work/school (I’m a teacher, so call it what you will)
3:30-4:00 sneak in a trip to Costco-if possible
4-6 get LB, go home, play time(with daddy probably), dinner
6-7:30 LB to gym class, me to Jenny Craig appt.
7:30-8:30 LB home and ready/into bed
8:30-whenever more work-grade papers, write lesson plans etc.
11ish usually to sleep
I’ve been working to have more evenings freer, but am getting bogged down again, sadly.
Today’s the day before a week off…not taking back time for me…just a 14 or 15 hour day caused by my own stupid procrastination and the Session meeting tonight.
What a great idea. Many of our retirees might not be so interested though.
Good idea. This is why I’m a tyrant with my evenings and refuse (most of the time!) to do anything other than be at home - even good stuff.
I think Americans do take fewer holidays than we do in Europe and I don’t know how you manage … that said you have more long weekends (well not clergy but the rest!) … Finns only take 30 mins for lunch, usually no scheduled breaks during the day and an 8 h day is 8-4:30 (cos the lunch is unpaid) or 7:30-4 … many work slightly longer days in autumn / winter so as to make the most of the light when it finally returns.
That said burn out in Finland is high - and it’s due in part to multi tasking, multiple jobs and the sheer volume of tasks. (and fear of being laid off … )
I’ve been busy today but not impossibly so. I had my cell group 6:30 to 8pm but it went on until 9:30 … I couldn’t get them to stop speaking about Jesus and encouraging one another and wouldn’t have wanted to
glad to be home now though.
I forgot to add:
2:36-2:38: Believe I know how the rest of the day is going to go.
I love the idea of Taking Back Your Time. I must make the time to do it….
7.30 up and laundry before
8.45 cycle up to church for Morning Prayer
9.30 pastoral conversation with parishioner who appeared at Morning Prayer with that end in view
10.00 Staff meeting and supervision with WonderfulVicar
12.30 Home to feed HS (half term break this week) then drive to collect GK from play rehearsal at school, 20 miles each way
2.30 Parish visiting
4.00 Desk and computer bits
5.30 Evening Prayer
6.00 Lock church and head home
7.00 Out for meeting with Cell group
10.00 Home, emails and bed
A good friend is doing a sabbatical on the concept of Sabbath in the new year…must direct her to this.
Thanks for posting x
I think a trick to the whole work situation is making your work environment as leisurely as possible. For example, right now I’m listening to Bob Marley as I work past my 5:00 pm cutoff time. I may be working late, but at least I have some good tunes on…
*sigh*
I got nuthin…
I posted mine on my journal. It took two sittings to get the post done.