Why Has a Three Day Weekend been Considered?
Informative Speech
Alex Fish
Many people around the globe have been considering an interesting idea, this of course being a longer weekend. The topic of a three-day weekend has been in practice in Europe and has been a debated topic for many years. The main reasoning for this concept is the effects that more time off can have on personal health. Mental health in particular, is a very important aspect of our lives, and it is vital that we take measures to ensure a reduction in stress, fatigue, and an improvement in overall well-being. In order to decrease mental health issues, many employers around the globe have considered taking on a four-day workweek. But how exactly does time off affect our health?
One element of our lives directly affected by time off is stress. The less time people have away from the workplace, the more their stress levels will increase. Stress can lead to many different health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and the stress hormone, Cortisol, which causes anxiety and depression. These issues can have huge effects on peoples’ lives and can all be prevented by spending less time in the workplace (The New York Times). The main cause of stress, at least in urban areas, is overworking and according to Rosemary Barnes, a writer for the San Antonio Express-News, Oakland Tribune,“Americans are working harder than ever. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average employee works about 1,900 hours a year, and more than 40 percent work more than 50 hours a week.” This shows that Americans have been overworking which has led to stress on many levels.
Another negative result of having less time off is fatigue - and it is more common than you think. It is widely known that the more a person works without enough break time, the more fatigued they will become. When we become exhausted from overworking, our brains do not function properly and we experience fatigue. This can lead to many problems such as memory loss and laziness which decrease our overall productivity. A fatigued brain loses its work ethic and creativity as well as can lead to other issues like depression if it continues for too long (Barnes).
An overall well-being is one of the most important aspects of our lives. It is important to keep a well-being in our lives in order to live life to the fullest. It is important to know that less time off results in a decrease of overall well-being in both peoples’ work lives and their lives outside the workplace. It is important to know that people also need to make sure they get enough sleep in addition to time to relax and recouperate their minds. A lack of sleep can lead to illnesses and mood changes as well as a bad effect on the immune system (John 45). According to Tara John, author of The Training Journal, “Mental health problems can limit the extent to which a person experiences life.” Overworking causes many issues in many peoples’ overall well-being.
Simply stated, a shorter, four-day workweek has many benefits that can have a big impact on peoples’ lives. Personal health is a very important subject in our society and it is vital that we take measures to ensure a reduction in stress, fatigue, and an improvement in overall well-being. Many believe that if we adopt this new style of work-week, we will see an improvement in employees’ and students’ mental health and productivity. We just need to figure out how to balance and adapt a shorter work-week into the American economy and society as a whole. According to Rosemary Barnes, “Balance was there before and it can return with the right approach and the right priorities.”
Annotated Bibliography
Barnes, Rosemary. “Time to dump job stress ; People are feeling pinched by working more, enjoying it less and not seeing family”. San Antonio Express-
News, Oakland Tribune, 16 May 2004. Proquest, www.search.proquest.com/docview /351958040/730556DE9DE646E1PQ/2?accountid=338. Accessed 13 Sep. 2019.
This article was written concerning the topic of the common working person. The author explains that people are less happy and motivated when having to work so many days and hours straight. She believes that the workplace is a stressful enviornemnt and time away from it is just as important as time within it. She believes that Americans are working as hard as ever and deserve to be compensated for their efforts. We need to find new ways to avoid stress at the workplace and it can begin with reducing the workweek.
John, Tara S. "Mental Health at Work: The Hard Facts." Training Journal, no. 2, Pp. 44-47, May
2005, Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Proquest, www.search.proquest.com/docview /202948477/D31A8D3ED0634A2APQ/1?accountid=338. Accessed 13 Sep. 2019.
This article claims that the most important thing we can do as staff and as students is to be aware of our mental health. Each person should know their own working limits and be able to control their mental state by not overworking. We all need to know our limits when it comes to working. If we overwork ourselves it has really bad effects on our mental health.
"U.S. should Match Europe's Shorter Workweek: [Letter]." The New York Times, 5 Nov.1993,
www.search.proquest.com/docview/429372582?accountid=338. Accessed 13 Sep./ 2019.
The United States should match the European style workweek. The article gives evidence that a fourday work week would benefit the American economy and people. More time off for breaks and holiday vacations as they do in European countries. It is important to give people time off from working. The author wants people to understand the benefits of having a shorter workweek and how it would be an excellent idea in the United States. The author uses examples from work settings in Europe and relates them to the current issues in the United States that have not yet been addressed.