Only "dimwits" emigrate from Britain ..

[Cyclone]

It's specifically the US and Canada that I'm talking about though. A lot of people set them up as better than the UK in every way, but in this one important aspect they are way behind.

[Cyclone]

Is there perhaps a generation gap between you guys? (Cyclone and Bulgarian)

 

Only a young person would think of working in order to further their career/bank balance rather than take time off. Only an older person would take time off to sit in the garden and read a book.

Doubt it, if anything it might be the other way around.

I did use the reading in the garden as an example of what I'd do if I had nothing else to do (I'd still do it rather than work though).

 

As an oldie myself, time off is precious. There'll never be enough time to do everything I want. Work is most definitely a means to an end. Living to work? What kind of life is that? For that reason alone I think I'm better off in the UK than most other places in the world.

 

On the other hand ... I did once hear a Microsoft employee's definition of work life balance: His idea was that you work stupid hours when young, get rich and retire young. Ah .. if only that were still an option for me.

It's a nice idea, but working hard alone doesn't guarantee it, even if you work for MS.

[Bulgarian]

Is there perhaps a generation gap between you guys? (Cyclone and Bulgarian)

 

Only a young person would think of working in order to further their career/bank balance rather than take time off. Only an older person would take time off to sit in the garden and read a book.

 

I am on "older" person, but the thought of sitting in the garden reading a book on my own horrifies me, I'd be bored, I enjoy interaction with people, I can't take time off for the sake of taking time off, I need something specific to do. I need mental stimulation all the time.

 

I'd be perfectly happy to take 2 weeks off and travel to somewhere foreign, to see new things, and new people, but I can't afford to do that at the moment.

[Cyclone]

Maybe you should get a better book

 

You could take that 2 weeks you don't use as a every other Friday off for a 4 months. I worked a 4 * 10 for a while, and having Friday off is great.

It wasn't that I did a lot of social stuff, although I did get to go climbing with friends. I got to do a bit of shopping, I got to do things around the house, I played the odd computer game and I read my book sat outside a coffee shop (not all at the same time).

And come Friday evening, I was in a much better situation to enjoy socialising since I'd had a nice relaxing day with no pressure.

 

Not taking annual leave that you're due is just donating your time to your employer.

 

We're well off topic now anyway, annual leave is just one thing I think people should investigate when they consider moving to North America. I've seen the affect it's had on the friends who have moved there. When we went to visit they had to carry on working as they simply couldn't spare any time off! One of them came over for a week recently, doing a whistle stop tour of the UK. That's it for her now until xmas, she can't take another day off.