Us timeshare owners must be an anomaly in the USA......

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

I get a bank of time each year..28 days, that's for vacation and sick days. If I'm sick I will usually work from home, so that saves my sick days and the 1 hr commute each way.

We can only carry over 5 days and if you don't use them in the first qtr., you're supposed to loose them.

I used to work all the time...last 2 years were especially tough. I worked anywhere from 60-80 hrs/wk. Not including commute time
I always took my vacations though, because I had timeshares. Before that, I never took time off...

This year all that has changed...now I only work about 50 hrs/wk.

I have always said to my staff something that I just started following: No one lies on their death bed and says "I should have spent more time at work"

So, that is my credo these days...Just like stasik said...the compnay was there before, they will be there after. I still give it my all, just not as much as I used to.

And I use all vacation time

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I don't know that Americans are any harder workers by not taking allotted vacation time. Its more of a delusion of their own importance to an organization. Too many people I work with act as if they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. I gently remind then that the company was here before them, it will be here after them, and it will survive if they go away for a week.

One still refuses to take time off because she has deluded herself into believing that she is the only competent person in her group. She has 31 days that she won't take and is turning into a wacko right now.

I agree with you. Too many people get the false idea that they'll have Job Security by becoming a control freak and Being There all the time. I also know someone like the person you cite. She doesn't trust anyone, is the company workhorse and likes that role (tho I do not understand why!). She recently took a couple potshots at my professional integrity for not being the same way. Nope, I'm a recovered workaholic and I won't go back to that. I do my job and when I'm called on my time off I take care of whatever the issue is.

Wacko part, she thinks she's entitled to additional compensation for working so many hours. That's a ridiculous notion when you're salaried. She's also no longer promotable because too few people can work with her and deal with her moods. Ought to be a mighty interesting meeting in HR coming up!

[brother coony Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brother coony]

I went 5 years in the 80ts without a vacation or day off, both my DW and I , now we go every two mths.
when you or young. with young kids. mortgage, ect. and not alot of money,
you dont think of vacation. back then most companys paid you for unused vacation and sick days, plus a good bonus at xmas,know some thing I was happy

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

I don't work outside the home so it's DH's vacation that counts. Officially he gets 3 weeks now...and takes more like 4 1/2 weeks. Not sick time, which he almost never takes (a day a year is usually it). He puts in ALOT of hours, travels often on a Sunday, has to stay over in town on the company (1 hour commute each way to home) during project times (3-4 times a year for a few days each time), etc... so the extra vacation time is totally earned... and his bosses know it and support it. Which I think is very smart of them... and rare in bosses!

Prior to timesharing, very little vacation time was taken. We have made a lifestyle style change and it's working for us. Even my work-aholic DH is loving it, knowing that a great vacation is always just around the corner.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I get 27 days and I have to use them or lose them. We can rollover only five days. There is a 'bank' for unused days which, if you aren't planning on maternity leave or short term disability, is utterly worthless.

I don't know that Americans are any harder workers by not taking allotted vacation time. Its more of a delusion of their own importance to an organization. Too many people I work with act as if they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. I gently remind then that the company was here before them, it will be here after them, and it will survive if they go away for a week.

One still refuses to take time off because she has deluded herself into believing that she is the only competent person in her group. She has 31 days that she won't take and is turning into a wacko right now.

There is a lot of truth to what you say. I am not proud of the fact that I regularly worked 80-100 hours per week for 20 years. To me, my career was everything. I gave up almost all of my personal time for the company. I thought I was getting rewarded for it with promotions, raises, awards, bonuses and stock. And, the perqs were very nice. World travel in First Class. Huge expense accounts. Dealing with the World's most powerful executives. Hand tailored suits and custom made shirts and shoes. Believe it or not, that was me prior to timesharing. Then, I gave it all up and I am so glad I did.

Now, I am a stay at home dad with a stay at home mom. The two best parts of my day are going out to lunch with my wife and getting my daily hugs and kisses from my 5 year old. I am really getting to know my kids like my Dad never knew me. I wear shorts almost every day of the year and I help my teenage son with school, girls, and every day set backs. I am so happy I gave up that other life. It was a delusional life where I perceived I was more important than I really ever was.

I am still a type-A workaholic. I easily put in 80-100 hours per week into my business. The difference is that everything I do is for my family and my clients. No employees, no investors and NO BOSSES.

Timeshare is the greatest thing ever created.

[eal Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close eal]

WOW!
thanks for sharing your story - your family is lucky to have you!

[suesam Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close suesam]

Happiness study

I just read an article last night about a happiness study. The US, although we were wealthy, was listed like No. 17 in the happiness study. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact we work too much and do not take enough vacations?! I NEED about 4 one week vacations a year but only get about 2. I quit a state job after 16 years and went to work for a private, small company. The benefit package stinks. My husband also works for a small company and works on commission so does not get any paid vacation. The good thing is, we ,like many, have our timeshare and are not willing to give up our vacations because of it. Prior to timesharing I could not get my husband to leave for a week, ever! Now at least I get two weeks out of him!
It is hard to take a vacation when you are not getting paid time off, but it is something we just can not do without!

Sue

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

suesam

The US, although we were wealthy, was listed like No. 17 in the happiness study. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact we work too much and do not take enough vacations?!

Yes, I think it just might have something to do with it....My DH works for a workaholic. He is a very wealthy man, married to a very wealthy woman. Between the two of them, I don't know which one is more miserable. Neither of them know how to enjoy life. They never seem to be happy, and are always complaining about something. They take one vacation a year, with their young children. It's sad.

I have had to cancel trips because my DH was not able to get the time off. His firm is totally work oriented, and doesn't care if you've plan a trip for months. If you're on trial, you're not going on vacation.

People need to learn how to enjoy life more, it's short, and unpredictable!

[idahodude Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close idahodude]

I've thought about quitting my current job since I feel underappreciated, underpaid, etc. But I get 5 weeks paid time off in a field where nearly no one gets any, so it's really hard to have the guts to leave when I feel like it. Of course, it has been getting better lately, but that time off is worth a lot to me.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I-Dude, you will know when you need to leave. At least, it has always worked out that way for me.

My last job, a big company, I really had to go. I had sworn to never work for a large company again, but after 9/11, options in my industry were limited and risky so I took the safe course. As it turned out, I was laid off the same day I got the offer.

Anyway, big company: Our veep would pull us all into a conf room and tell us how horrible we were, then would hold up her favorite, Matt, as the best thing since sliced bread. We all knew Matt and knew his work sucked. Problem is, there's only so much of that I can hear before I subconsciously begin to believe it.

There were other majorly bad things (such as becoming the dept scapegoat since I was last hired) that led to "That's IT!" and people were telling me, oh no, you can't go, you'll never beat these benefits! so they stay and take the crap. I came to a non-profit and my bennies are actually about as good as I had there. No one is telling me how awful I am or taking potshots at me to make themselves look better. Sure, I took a paycut, but the way I see it, I traded money for happiness and most days, I'm glad I did. Since it's a flatter organization, not as much trying to tear people down to climb over them.

The rat race isn't pretty.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I've thought about quitting my current job since I feel underappreciated, underpaid, etc. But I get 5 weeks paid time off in a field where nearly no one gets any, so it's really hard to have the guts to leave when I feel like it. Of course, it has been getting better lately, but that time off is worth a lot to me.

It is extremely difficult to quit a job unless you have another one lined up. It causes too much disruption in life.

Employers have learned to be very saavy in keeping employees in indentured slavery by giving them just enough so that they don't quit to work for another employer or start their own business.

The golden handcuffs are embodied in that weekly paycheck. Believe it or not, that paycheck is the single biggest enslaver of man ever created. Once you learn to live without it, you have found true freedom.

Our education system should spend more time teaching our children to survive in a Global economy. It's failing our children by teaching them the wrong things.