According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average human being works 8.8 hours a day. The number is obviously higher than the generally spout out answer of 8 hours a day. For some, perhaps it’s less, for others, it’s most definitely more.
In the 24 hours that is a day, the average person will spend 7.6 hours sleeping, 8.8 working, 3.4 hours eating, doing activities pertaining to the household, and taking care of the needs of others. 2.5 hours can then be allocated to chosen activities or relaxation. The small percentage that is left over is eaten up by random, unchartable activities during the day.
A lot of discussion time can be spent on why it became the norm to work 8 hours a day, but seeing on how the world on average is short on time as it is, let’s just get to the point.
You Work Too Much
Doing the math, 8.8 hours a day, multiplied by 5 days a week is 44 hours a week. Multiply 44 hours a week by the approximately 52 weeks in a year, and you’re looking at 2,288 hours of work in a year. There are only 8760 hours in a year, and about 2,766 hours are spent sleeping, that means that in a year, you only have 3,706 hours of time not spent hitting the hay or working.
Many people spend way more time at work than 8.8 hours, and this doesn’t include commute time, or time spent getting your kids to school, and etc. The point is, you work so hard, you work too much, you need a vacation, and it needs to be spent in luxury.
This is Your Time
Calculating the amount of time that you work, sleep, eat, and do all that jazz, it really leaves no time for you. Maybe you’re a mom, spending all her spare time making sure her children’s needs are met…maybe you’re a father providing for the family and spending all his spare time throwing the baseball to your son who aspires to play in the major league, the point is, vacation is your time to focus on nothing but yourself.
Life is full of responsibilities, and most everyone is overworked and underpaid. Inflation continues to climb, housing costs more than it should, and everything else in life is just as expensive. Wage compensation does not keep up. The one percent is reclining away their time drinking cocktails and playing golf, and you’re literally working your life away.
Do yourself a favor, take that vacation, and make it something memorable that you will reflect on for a lifetime. Time is money, but all the money in the world can’t buy you time. Make the most of your vacation time. Spoil yourself rotten.