New Study Says One Day Work Week
Let me begin by saying, this is an eye-catching headline my friend. “Study Says One Day Work Week Good
for Mental Health.” Hook me up. Now, before you get all excited, let’s remain calm and focused. We both know the words “one day work week” are probably just too good to be true. Plus, with only one work day per week, that would result in a tremendous loss of income. Yes, the headline got me. According to the article, a new study finds that just eight hours of paid work a week is good for your mental health. British researchers, after surveying over 70,000 people, found that just one day of work a week cut mental health problems by 30 percent. Another finding was that there was no evidence that working more than eight hours provided a boost to your well-being. You may be asking, why would British researchers go to the trouble of interviewing 70,000 people about work and mental health? One word inspired the study. Automation. Quietly, automation is becoming a big part of business models around the world.
Just think. In the not too distant future, a driver less vehicle will be at our disposal. Imagine for a moment. Your breakfast is always ready when you are thanks to your automated assistant in the kitchen. As you approach your front door, it automatically opens. As you approach your vehicle, the AI, artificial intelligence recognizes you, the entry door of the vehicle opens, you crawl in and tell the automation your destination and off you go. Imagine an interstate highway full of vehicles traveling North to South, East to West, all in driver less vehicles. What if airplanes took off and landed without the presence of a pilot? I think we both can agree, technology is awesome and scary at the same time. None of us have a crystal ball that tells us of our future. As we say down South, “times are a changing.” Who knows how the ordinary work day will change. Can you see a future where you will not have to leave home to do your job? One day, you might be able to sit by the pool with your internet-connected device and do your job. Now, that’s a nice thought. I have to make sure I can afford plenty of sunscreen while sitting by the pool. If not, I will look like a tomato when I sunburn. The title got me. “Study Says One Day Work Week Good for Mental Health.” Isn’t it great to dream?