Section:
Dear Ann Landers,
hundred years from now, when people want to know what life was like in the 20th century, they will probably point to your column, as you are the bellwether on social behavior today. 3 3 4 ANN LANDERS I work for a Fortune 500 company and have a terrific job. Through downsizing, we are now working 60-plus-hour weeks. I do the job four other people used to do. When I get home, I'm exhausted. Of course, I am thankful for my job and am not a whiner. But the pace and hours we work are absurd. This is not only a burden on our families, but what corporate America does not see is that this is not good for the company. When you are working constantly, your mind doesn't function as well. I am not as productive on the job as I should be. I bring a ton of work home and spend several hours on the phone or checking auto-mated mail on my home computer. This is not only my opinion. I hear this from friends and relatives, too. It seems that if the work can't be handled during a normal work week, then perhaps we need more people to do the job. Ann, what you say really affects public opinion. Can you help? -Burnt Out
Dear Burnt,
It's difficult to tell you what to do because I have no idea where you are in the corporate structure. Moreover, I don't know if the company is extremely profitable or struggling. Nor do I know anything about your energy level or the quality of your performance. Could you get another job with no trouble, or are you lucky to be where you are? One thing is clear, you feel overworked and underap-preciated. Here are your options: Round up some colleagues who share your discontent, and let your boss know that he (or she) needs to hire addi-tional hands. Work at a slower pace, quit taking work home and see if that makes you more productive. Look around for a job that is less demanding, even though it means a smaller paycheck. Forgive me for being corny, but money isn't every-thing. I have never heard of a man who said on his deathbed, "I wish I had spent more time at the office."