Not going to lie...this entry is very theoretical and doesn't present itself as practical on the surface or better yet, effective upon immediately implementing. However, with enough grassroots motivation and the ever-so desirable "social change" hope this idea begs for, this idea has HUGE implications for (what this blogger believes) what could be incredible positive change.
Abridged Overview of the Current Workday
Okay, first the bleak truth. Let's take a quick look at the breakdown of a typical, middle-class working American trudging through the 8-5 (hey, that's what I am and I have feeling there's more of my type). And although I recognize that the common term is 9-5, I honestly don't know a single person who gets away with such a luxurious workday. It's 8-5, with an hour for lunch in there. If you 9-5ers are out there, please sound off below. Either way, the majority of our conscious lives from M-F are spent putting our nose to the grindstone. Who developed this? I want names!
So, I put forth to challenge this model in a studious manner the best I can exude. I will save face & expectation now for my readers that this entry will in no way attempt to hide any sort of bias (after all, aren't new ideas opinions?) Given my illustrious education at the fine Carlson School of Assembly Line Made Suits, I shall put my analysis skills to use and breakdown the typical workday and challenge its merit.
The Background
To slant my previous statement, the ideal 24hours during any given workday actually attempts to balance the three supposed components of one's day:
8 Hours of Work
8 Hours of Sleep
8 Hours of Recreation (herein 'Rec')
That's a nice looking breakdown isn't it? Makes you feel kind of 'balanced' right? This coupled with proper daily servings from the appropriate shelves of the food pyramid and 'grooving your body 3 times a day for 10 minutes' (kudos to my friends at the Do. campaign...you've probably seen one of their billboards), you've created a model for success.
Hmmmm.
I dissent. Although this model fits in a nice little package, it attempts to quantify QUALITATIVE components. Sleep, recreation, work...all of these are vastly differnt variables with endless possibilities. Quite frankly, how can you measure the 'need' or 'productivity' are 'maintenance of sanity' of work, recreation and, admittedly to a lesser extent, sleep?
Now, any good analyst or finance major (*this blogger slowly raises hand) understands that qualitative data can't be measured or analyzed in a universal manner. This is true, thus quantification enters. If I can convert abstract observations into numbers, I can quickly dump my conversions into an excel spreadsheet, run a few regressions, and chart my analysis. I have little doubt that the Universal Work Vs. Personal Life Analysis team did such an analysis, re-ran some numbers, put together a PowerPoint and presented HR Mangers Worldwide with:
8 Hours of Work
8 Hours of Sleep
8 Hours of Rec
Naturally, these whole numbers were rounded from complex decimals and presentation purposes, the team went with the whole numbers pursuant to the decimals.
Now that's relieving, knowing that a proper analysis had been construed, one with so much impact that it would dictate the majority of working America's everyday (and perhaps worldwide as well); we can be rest assured that a proper group of experts determined this critical part of our lives for us.
One problem: I can't find this report! I want to trace their sources, re-run their numbers, conduct some interviews and setup some experiments. But I can't! This data has most likely been shelved in a top secret, confidential folder in a locked briefcase with the location known only to probably some old descendant of J.D. Rockefeller who is being held captive in a posh retirement home in some unnamed island in the South Pacific. But does he follow this model? Nah, he probably did in his more youthful days, but now he's currently operating under the retirement model (which is beyond my scope at this point).
Nonetheless, any good trailblazer ignores these important facts and presents his ideas boldly, understanding that his shall be put to up to the utmost scrutiny for any and all to comment. But, at least my report will be available on the web and not in some lockbox!
The Breakdown
First off, I don't disagree with balance, nor shall I use my pulpit to challenge the merits of any of the three components. Let's set the given that the World (aka us) needs work, rec, and sleep. For the purposes of this page, we'll leave to those three only (with a subcomponent introduced later).
Where this model fails is the lack of recognition of distribution for these three components. Sure, I may be satisfied with 8 hours of each, but how are they placed during my day? Here's a believed-to-be common sample of a 24-hour workday, this time with the element of time introduced:
8am-5pm 8 Hours Work, 1 Hour Lunch [Rec...I guess]
5pm-10pm 5 Hours Rec
10pm - 6am 8 Hours Sleep
6am-8am 2 Hours Rec
Which component is fractured the most? Yes, clearly 'Rec' is the answer. And, let's not forget that the subcomponent to be introduced, 'Commute to Work', occupies which component in this model? Again, 'Rec' takes the nod.
Now, let's introduce some external data. Today (February 6, 2008) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the sun rose at 7:28am and set 5:26pm. So, some quick math will yield that all together, on this day, MPLS had 8 hours and 58 minutes of sunlight.
And, we can quickly recognize that 8 hr of this 8:58 occurred during the work component.
Hmmm....
Obviously, sun rises and sun sets expand and contract over the year, but the focal point is near that of the work component of our day. Some quick thought will yield that the majority of the day's light is consumed during the work component! (Enter Bias): We've heard about how depressing Winter can be. Why is that? Most argue because it's so dark. Maybe it's just me, but depression seems like a serious issue that threaten quality of life, as well as life itself! Rec is usually the best time to enjoy exposure to the sunlight. Work usually is not. The current workday model places rec as two subcomponents outside of peak daylight hours. I think you can probably (finally) see the direction I am going here...
Why do we work during daylight hours??
Save Daylight!
I finally will take off my critic hat and put on my solution hat. Let's change the workday model! Why do we settle for the soul/life sucking model of working away daylight hours. Here's my proposal:
5pm-2am Work
2am-10am Commute/Sleep
10am-5pm Rec/Commute
There. And you know what? This already exists. This is the 3rd Shift! Why isn't this the 1st Shift?? For years, the answer has been right under our nose! Many overnight workers are living the dream! I think corporate America as well as other 8-5 adopters need to follow suit here.
With this type of model, we've successfully placed the best a day has to offer directly into our own hands to do with as we please. Why can't this be the standard model? I know, I know...the current has already been in place for countless years, but why?
Imagine the possibilities if the work world adopted this '3rd Shift' model. Some institutionalized changes would have to be implemented, but for the better of the general public's psyche, I say let's push for it!
Obviously, this is a base model. I'm curious to hear other's comments. Leave them. Let's challenge the status quo. I don't know how, but hey...this blog is devoted to ideas.
DP
The future is unwritten, and therefore grand in its endless possibilities.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
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