Why Low Earners Relax More

Work=leisure

I began working when I was 7yrs old. My father began the 1st State Farm Ins agency in Chicago. I would file for him, which helped me alphabetically. Work can always be fun, if one takes pride in what they do. Perhaps, I began working, however, much younger than age 7. My mother was already teaching me to cook and clean. In high school, my friends would laugh and wait while I vacummed the cracks in the patio tiles on a summer Saturday. I was always working. But, then, again, my son won the Harvard Presidential Fellowship Award. So, he learned how to love working, too.

karen of FL @ Jul 16, 2009 13:38:25 PM

being busy is being anchored

Yes, I agree with this article, completely. I have an MSW, and though, not employed presently, I lived my life without wasting one moment...Working, can actually mean doing interior design and washing clothes and caring for the dogs. I lived my life loving each job I did, whether teaching at the University; beginning a hospice; or singing to myu children before they went to bed. But, I was injured in the face; and my entire persona took a nosedive. Now, I find it hard to wake up in the morning, for the first time in my life.

karen of FL @ Jul 16, 2009 13:18:07 PM

Obvious

More schooling = less leisure time. They're paying off student loans. Duh.

Paul G of NM @ Jul 12, 2009 01:00:42 AM

Respect personal lifestyle, but do not "steal" money

I do respect a person's lifestyle that they choose, hate persons take money from the government via various ways and hate the government taxes personal income more than 15%. A woman has sex with many men, has several kids and her men walked away. I pay money to raise her kids, her retired life and their health care. It that fair? It is just what communist wants.

So America is dying. Think about California.

Micahel Hanover of OH @ Jul 11, 2009 17:11:11 PM

To Danielle

Danielle,

I thought your post was very intelligent, so I was all the more shocked by the final paragraph: "And I am part of that 53% of voters who believe that President Obama can lead this country back into that strong work ethic and individual accountability that has been so sadly diluted by power and greed."

Obama has been shielding people and corporations from the consequences of their actions from the day he stepped into office, extending Bush's policies with not only TARP but the stimulus package which is allocated in greater preponderance to cronies and senior committee members in Congress. Talk about power and greed.

Obama is also extending Bush's policies on illegal government wiretapping - his AG Eric Holder has been fighting lawsuits seeking to open up government records. As Senator, Obama voted for the renewal of the Patriot Act, FISA amendments, Real ID, and is continuing these policies as Prez. He is running Bush's 3rd term. I wish people would look at actions, not just listen to pretty speeches. We need to abandon belief for facts. Fortunately some people are wising up - Obama's popularity and confidence ratings are dropping rapidly.

Filby of DC @ Jul 11, 2009 12:38:42 PM

Statistical interpretations and Generalizations

It would serve your readership much better to offer statistics and facts without the generalized headlines and personal interpretations that cause the readers to take such generalizations personally.

It would also serve readers well to remember that just because someone lives a certain lifestyle at a particular point in their life it does not define who they are, how they think, or whether they can win a war or not. Statistics are a snapshot of how things were at a moment in time and it appears that socio-economic factors are not considered in the authors interpretation above.

Sure there are some who choose to work less for a paycheck in order to 'leisure' more. Maybe they are young and willing to go without stuff in order to work less, like my daughter who lost her job a few months ago; or perhaps they are older and have worked hard for a long time and are ready to relax more having figured out they don't need all that stuff - hopefully me somewhere down the line. There are also those who choose to work at something they enjoy doing, then the line between 'work' time and 'leisure' time becomes dotted or dashed along with the income.

There are some like my partner, who have lost their jobs and must spend their time working on 'non-paying' chores and projects, or have to work ALL the time at low-paying jobs to pay the bills for a lifestyle acquired when earning more.

Meanwhile the fact that I do earn more necessitates that I sacrifice my leisure time and put in more hours at work to ensure my family can keep our home. I am a woman. I am a self-reliant, single mother with ambition and political thought who raised her daughter to be a free-thinking, self-sufficient American and to defy categorization and generalizations.

And I am part of that 53% of voters who believe that President Obama can lead this country back into that strong work ethic and individual accountability that has been so sadly diluted by power and greed.

Danielle of WA @ Jul 06, 2009 14:16:09 PM

and what about workers in Retail

I lost my "professional" job three years ago spent months looking for another job about 12 hours a day. I did not relax. I have since found a minimum wage job in Retail (quite a change from my $55K job that I used to have). Now I work part time, no benefits,minumum wage ~ in retail.

I have NO leisure time. Hours are long and they are very unpredictable. This leaves me with the few hours I can find during 8-5 to take care of other "business". I watch much less tv than I used to. I used to golf, exercise, hang out with friends, etc. None of that any more.

Please don't say that those of us who earn less relax more. The exact opposite is true. IN fact, have you readthe book, "nickled and dimed to death in America". You will find the truth in that book. It is a dismal, depressing, absolutely awful existence! Relax, indeed! Ha!

Tracey, NY of NY @ Jul 02, 2009 09:31:08 AM

What about Retail?

I lost my job of 20 years where I worked approx 50 hours a week but did enjoy paid time off (a benefit I earned by being able to work fulltime). THREE years ago I lost my job and now work retail about 30 hours a week. The hours are so diverse that I simply have NO time for leisure activities since all of my Outside of work business has to be conducted in whatever 9-5 hours I have that I'm not earning minimum wage. I have two degrees and raised my daughter by myself while earning one of the, along with fulltime work. I used to play golf, exercise, hang out with friends from time to time. I no longer have time for any of that.

These stats are wrong and don't take into consideration those of us who have been displaced into other jobs. Do your homework please.

Tracey,, NY of NY @ Jul 02, 2009 09:23:50 AM