The modern American society is very demanding of people in their workplace. Very often, time spent at work is greater than that at home or at leisure activities. There are several reasons that offer explanations to such a trend. The way of the “American life”, people’s personal goals and work demands, all lead to extra work.
The society and the general population of a country are the moving force in the workplace. The article “Americans Work Too Much and Have Too Little Time for Play: Here’s How to Slow Down ‘The Great Speed-Up” offers explanations that are related to the demands of the society and gives ways to avoid being caught up in the workplace.
Even though the wages stay the same, so there is no clear incentive to stay at work longer, individuals still contribute extra hours to their jobs. This can be attributed to the society and the American way of life. The country is a very fast paced environment where industrialization has created many opportunities and avenues for people to work. There is a large number of professions that exist and so, people are able to choose any type of activity they like.
This, in turn, leads to the replacement of leisure time by working hours. This happens not because people are forced to work but because there is true enjoyment in work. A person can take pleasure and pride in their profession and this is very much representative of the society. The education provided is very differential, which gives people a very diverse selection of jobs they can dedicate themselves to.
Not only has work become more interesting but it is now a place of social life and self-representation. People are appreciative of their jobs and thankful to have one. Of course, financial reasons and the natural pull of society to have more resources is another factor. As social life creates conditions that require more money to be spent on life, people feel forced to spend more time at work (Jason par. 2).
The personal goals of a person play another significant role. Psychologically, a person can be greatly focused on their job. It is a place where they can practice and display their skills, gaining respect for themselves and from others. A determination to have a better way of life, to have higher quality of products acquired and services enjoyed will without a doubt lead to more hours spent at work. “The American way of life” is often associated with a dream where people are able to afford pretty much anything.
The society allows for a great number of pleasures and people are very attracted to the different activities they can participate in. This makes an individual become a victim of their own wants and as a result they spend more time making money for vacation and their favorite products, instead of actually taking a vacation or buying that car they have always dreamed of (Love par. 9).
The technology has also made it easier to work from a remote location. While on vacation, many people are still very much connected to their workplace through computers or phones. It might seem that working while on vacation is not very demanding but sometimes it interferes with family matters, which causes unnecessary stress for several people.
One of the negative reasons why people must stay overtime and sacrifice their family and leisure time is the fear of losing they job. The present economy and market are very unstable and people have to greatly rely on their jobs. Even if it is low paying or has an increased amount of hours, it is much better than being unemployed or constantly seeking a place to work.
This creates great stress on a person and often there are health side effects (“Stressed? Studies Show Americans Work too Hard” par. 5). The American nation is one of the most developed and highly industrialized countries but still, sometimes there are moments when jobs become scarce and so, people realize how important it is to have a well paying job.
While the society demands people to hold on tight to their jobs, a loss of work by someone close plays a major role in people being forced to work longer. Not to mention that many people are single parents and all they have to support themselves and their children with is their job. It is evident that people become victims of their circumstances of life and not their success or personal enjoyment of the workplace.
Overall, the majority of people are of the type where the environment gives them no choice but to work hard in order to get by and provide for their family. This is a sad reality of the modern world that has many negative effects not only on person’s physical health but on their psychological well-being also.
As evident, there are several reasons why people work more and while some of them might be beneficial, the majority are negative. The world is a fast paced environment that demands obedience and those unable to contribute, are left without employment.
Works Cited
Jason, M. “Americans Work Too Much and Have Too Little Time for Play: Here’s How to Slow Down ‘The Great Speed-Up.” alternet.org. AlterNet, July 29, 2011. Web.
Love, D.A. “Americans work too much.” startribune.com. StarTribune, June 10, 2011. Web.
“Stressed? Studies Show Americans Work too Hard.” CBNNews.com. CBNNews,October 09, 2010. Web.