Why not work less?

I stayed in bed until twenty minutes before I needed to leave for work.  I tried to think of a good excuse to stay home – I’m sick (…and tired of going to work), work is boring at this time of the year, stayed up too late because of the free old movies channel and my Alfred Hitchcock obsession, it’s foggy again.  We worked late yesterday because of a special event.  I think just one more day off each week would make life more balanced. I’m seriously considering going down to four sometime next year.  Changing jobs hasn’t worked because when it comes down to it, I like this job.  It’s a blessing.

So why not work less?  Isn’t life supposed to be about breaking societal conformity to live out values and beliefs?  Why work five days?  Money.  Because we’re going to Europe.  Because we need more than one room to live in, paint in, entertain in.

One of the significant turning point I experienced at Briercrest was when I was co-teaching a world views class and we were discussing the cost of this life of following Christ.  Glenn Runnalls said our generation won’t live it because the cost is too high.  We’re too narcissistic.  And I (like Peter) passionately thought, I won’t be like that.  I won’t trade in my soul for the securities offered to me by society.  But suddenly there’s rent to pay, insurance and gas eating a whole in my pocket, too many very alluring places to dine in Vancouver.  Career peer pressure.

So that’s my puzzle for the day – is that extra day of income worth the sacrifice in the face of the other 90% of my well-being – my health, my art, my relationships, my values of worship, discipleship, justice, and community?