In summertime people often look forward to vacations and the enjoyable use of leisure time.
Hotter weather, kids being out of school, and longer days all contribute to a greater pull towards vacation, fun and leisure time. According to the philosopher Aristotle, leisure time is one of the most important features that contributes to a good and happy life , not only leisure pursuits during the summer, but throughout the year.
Aristotle believed that the effective use of leisure can help develop human excellences, and bring one closer to realizing one’s potentials in life.
President Bush is unabashed about his love of leisure and his unconventional work routine. Bush’s staff teases him about his short workdays. “I am going to answer some questions,” he told reporters recently, “and then I’m going to head home and take a nap.”
He believes that a shorter, more efficient day at the office is a sound management practice.
This less-is-more approach is a radical departure from the deeply held attitudes about work in the American psyche. Studies show that Americans now spend more time at work than the famously industrious Japanese.
But the American work model may be changing. According to a study at the Radcliffe Public Policy Center, men in their 20s and early 30s are increasingly seeking work that allows them to pursue leisure time to enjoy their family activities, among other things.
Welcome Example
Bush’s example may be viewed as a welcomed example for many Americans who want to slow their work pace. The good use of leisure time can have a restorative function, which means that workers return to work more relaxed and motivated to solve problems and get things done. Also, leisure time enables one to grow in definition as a whole person.
The president has a “bully pulpit” that can trickle down to influence the practices of Americans in a variety of contexts.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell also announced new work rules to the entire staff of the State Department: “Don’t work unnecessarily long hours just to impress me. I am 63 going on 64. I don’t have to prove to anybody that I can work 16 hours a day if I can get it done in 8,” he said. “Anyone logging hours to impress me , you are wasting your time.”
Randall L. Tobias, the former chairman of Eli Lilly, recently said that organizations should recognize that people “bring their hearts as well as their minds to work.” Robert B. Reich, the former labor secretary under President Bill Clinton, says in his book, “The Future of Success,” that Americans work too hard. He talks about why he left government service , to bring more balance into his life.
Results, Not Late Hours
He may well envy the staffers of Mr. Bush’s White House. According to Karen P. Hughes, a counselor to the president who runs the administration’s communications office, “The president has made it clear that you will be evaluated on your results, not whether the light is on in your office at 10 or 11.”
Recently, Hughes missed a meeting with the president and a group of women executives. President Bush asked her why she had missed the meeting, and without missing a beat she told the president that she had taken her 13-year-old son, Robert, to the orthodontist for a scheduled appointment.
President Bush has introduced a new workplace theme: Mere presence at work does not necessarily imply being productive, and hard work and long hours do not necessarily imply each other.
The practical benefits in allowing more leisure time are important to recognize. Studies have shown that limited work hours can lead to better employee performance, higher retention rates and lower health care costs.
Increased Creativity
Also, creativity in an organization can be increased if workers are enthused and refreshed. Employees who return to work after a well-used period of leisure time will be more sharply motivated to be creative in fulfilling their job duties, and that is good for the organization as a whole, and for workers themselves.
Leisure time can be used for any activity that is not concerned with the serious business of economic survival. When employees pursue their outside interests, hobbies, crafts and ideals, this enables the mind to remove itself from mundane concerns. In addition to the restorative function that the proper use of leisure time provides, leisure can help people get insight into grasping their human purpose. Particularly for creative projects, this can lead to invention, and breakthroughs.
Another message from Mr. Powell: No frills, please. “I have no food preferences, no drink preferences, a cheeseburger will be fine. I like Holiday Inns.” He said, “Leadership is motivating people, turning people on, getting 110 percent out of a personal relationship.”
Mr. Powell also warned his staff: “Don’t mistake it , I’m still a general. If you perform well, we are going to get along fine. If you don’t, I am going to give you push-ups.”
Cohan is a Beverly Hills lawyer who handles tax and business matters.
