Time Wasters at Work

This article reports about some Microsoft survey that reveals what the biggest time wasters are at work. I read it and all I could think about was our protestant work ethic kicking into hyperdrive. Right now it’s spring break and I should be in the UK where they have a more sensible approach to the work week. The article casually announces that the work week is 45 hours. When did that happen? I thought it was 40. The article announces that 17 hours or 1/3 of our work week is wasted on useless meetings and things of that sort. I’m thinking 17 hours spread out over a week isn’t all that much. This article reads as if everyone is on a factory line or shop floor and they’re supposed to work non-stop as long as the machinery is up. The article reminded me of something Susan Willis once wrote (at least I think it was Susan Willis) about how academics think of themselves as having it easy because they don’t have to work the way most people do but actually what we should think about is the protestant work ethic roots of the U.S. that unfairly demands so much from people.