Do Americans work too much?

Question

Almost all Americans will tell you that they work more hours NOW than they had to in previous years (20-30 years ago). My mother and father express this to me and I am working insane hours as it is. We condemn addicitve behaviors with the excpetion of the workaholic. It used to be that one guy at the office or shop who worked all the time, busted his **** all day and stayed late. Now, all workcenters expect ridiculous hours out of their employees. We have increasingly less time with our families, children, off-duty tasks, and to just relax. Why is everyone preying on this as though working all the time is GREAT? I think it is hurtful to our lives, families and health. Just like the old days, Americans shoudl be able to live off 1 income and not have to pay 1100.00 a month in childcare like I have to on a $40,000.00 a year income. More work is expected out of Americans with far less reward than previous decades and it is SAD !!! The saddest part is we cant really do anything.

Exactly....that's kind of what I meant to say. Americans live to work when we shoud work to live. I say that at work all the time. My father used to say "Do my 8 and hit the gate" and it used to be true. He now says he has to do about 10 and go home hoping he wont get called in. LOL!! It's not that I dont think we can do anything about it. We can, but it takes ALL of us to be on the same side. I am in the military and it gets worse every year. The standard duty hours went from 8.5 hours a day to 10 hour days. Of course over time is going to happen (even though we dont get paid for overtime), but it happens all too frequently now. On average I pull off about 55-60 hours a week and it seems the civilian sector is the same. But, it also seems the ones up top agree with this. They dont seem to mind staying late or working weekends. I dont get it.

True not all Americans believe this. But, most end up HAVING to do this. I would rather work an even 8 hours and go home. It never happens for me. Working 9 to 5 just doesnt exist anymore and if you do, you better be single, making 30.00 an hour, or have a HUGE salary. If you are making 12-15 dollars an hour on a 40 hour work week with kids...you arent making it on your own. You will need WIC, daycare assistance, food stamps, 2nd income or something.

Answer 1

way to much but with the cost of things we have to work. the more I make the less it seems. I remmber when I thought 16.0 a hour was a lot of money.

Answer 2

Yes you are right and I think it is horrible and completely hate it.
The previous generation worked much less.
A bunch of things are huring us. First the dot commers of the computer boom worked lots of hours so everyone was sort of expected to or you looked bad and worried about being laid off. Many people are put onto salary and then expected to work many more hours which they are not compensated for.
I think they do much better in Europe, they work much less than us and get more vacation time.
Illegal immigrants have completely added to this because really there are NO jobs that American Won't do, there are just many of us who won't work for that rate of pay. The illegal immigrants are bringing DOWN all our wages. Many people who live here legally would take those jobs, like college and high school kids used to do all the lawn work. And many of us would rather mow the lawn ourselves too because we can't afford to pay someone to do it. Some people will pay because they are so overworked they don't have time and need to spend some time with their families or god forbid sleep on the weekend.
I work a full week and cannot afford health insurance or day care for my kids and I make almost 15 an hour.

Answer 3

Its difficult to say because the working class and wealth distributioin has become so unbalanced and diverse. The rich may say no while the working class will say yes. I say yes Americans work to much. But tell that to the Chinese and Latino cultures working for pennies. But given the US's status and extended hand to those in need my answer remains a firm yes. And yes the hours are rediculous also. My dad works in the mines in Minnesota, the company is partly owned by the Chinese and the hours expected are insane. Some guys literally(for 2 or 3 days) live at the place, because they're doubling out and doing overtime. For twenty bucks an hour of course but its just unbelievable.

Answer 4

I think we do, and I think it's bad for our health. We're all obsessed with money, but why, we're all going to die someday. Why not cherish life as it is and realize that working till we die is not important. We all live in a society in which all we do is work. We go through school and pick a career that we're going to do for the rest of our lives, for every day. But with the price of living in America now-a-days, I don't criticize people that do this, single parents having to work 2 to 3 jobs, the amazing price in which colleges are and parents having to put kids through it, we all need money to survive, and we all need to work I guess. It's how it works.

Answer 5

That true, but I think that the sad part is not that we can't do anything, but that we all think we can't do anything.

The reason we're having to work so hard is because we have far too much government regulation, corruption and waste today in America. Too many people are living off the hard, productive work of others.

Answer 6

we've been sold a bill of goods like at an Amway meeting.

"work hard, and success will come to you" is the American message.

Anyone know of hard workers that are not successful? I know several...but if you believe that, the country can get a lot of free labor (like Amway does)...1 or 2% will succeed, but 98% are financially supporting the dream

Answer 7

While the American culture as a general rule does take the "work ethic" to extreme, it is also true that not all Americans are that way.

Personally, I prefer to work to live, than live to work.

Answer 8

I LOVE TO WORK REALLY I LOVE MONEY I WAS WORKING 65 TO 75 HOURS A WEEK SOMETIMES 80 NOW ITS MORE LIKE 40 TO 45 BUT I AM TRYING TO FIND MORE WORK

Answer 9

Yes. I wish it were more balanced.

Answer 10

great point---seems like amaerican live to work INSTEAD of work to live!