Boy is it hard to get "up" for work. I know I have a lot to do with the February Deadline looming and articles to research and write. But it's rainy and cold. Its three days before Christmas.
The holiday being on Thursday means that people are taking the entire week off so it's difficult to contact folks. And when you get through to them, you find they are out doing that last bit of Christmas shopping (like I should be doing).
The Europeans take time off basically from December 10 through January 10. No one is around. Offices are on skeleton crew, and that simply is the way it is. We here in the states make an effort of working. People do go in, but their heads just aren't in it. Should we take the time off, too.
I'm not for that. I think we need to muddle through. Taking time off "just cuz" simply doesn't cut it for me. OK, maybe we aren't motivated quite as much as we are in the spring, but so what. We are being paid, lets at least give it a shot.
If you take vacation time, so be it. I really don't have a problem with that. If you take five vacation days, (Day after Christmas, three days before New Year's, Day after new year's) you get 11 days off in a row. Such a deal. But then, just why do we work, anyway. Next year it will be much easier. The holidays are on Friday. SO we all get a three day weekend and that's that. No decisions to make (which days to take off. Most will take the four days before New Years).
The French tell me that they work so they can take time off. If that's the case, then maximizing "off" time is the way to go. Americans have, in general, felt that work was its own reward. The goal, it seems to me, is to find a job you enjoy, so that the majority of your waking time is spent doing what you like, rather than pining for time off.
OK, OK, it's not that easy. But you might consider giving yourself a Christmas gift this year. Either take a look around a see what you can do that you enjoy AND makes money, or rethink your present position and consider what you like about it and feel good about what you are doing.
So, you have your marching orders. Figure out what you like about your job, focus on that, and enjoy what you do. If you simply can't, begin a program (it may take a year or more to complete) and change the way you earn a living. Now, with that decided, stop wasting time on the 'net and get back to work.
JVH
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