After so many companies set up furloughs or cut hours, many employees are questioning time expectations. 

• If your schedule was cut back to four days a week and you were working 60+ hours a week prior to that point, what is your week like now?
• If your colleague agreed to a two-week furlough, did your work hours increase?

In current businesses where staff cuts were made or are anticipated, those employees still at the office are working longer and longer hours.  Are we going to expect this amount of extra time from everyone going forward?

Another result of uncertain times is that a second job is becoming more common to make up for lost family income, and budding entrepreneurs are starting their own businesses on the side so that they will have options in the future.  If you are working two jobs, how do you find time for both?

The magazine “International Living” ranked Australia as the second best country in the world for quality of life.  Their standard work week is 37.5 hours, and many businesses require strict compliance in order to meet workplace laws and health standards.

I’m not saying that Australia should be the ultimate model.  From my brother’s long time experience living and working in Australia, there are some limitations associated with that.  He calls it “The Tall Poppy Syndrome.”  Anyone who stands out gets cut down or isolated.  You are expected to stay on the middle ground.  This discourages those who are motivated to work extra and achieve more.

On the other side, American businesses have grown and thrived because of people with vision and the drive to work hard for their goals.  Yet we seem to have leaned so far in the direction of long hours and shorter leisure time, that work/life balance is now an issue.  Check out some of the time management statistics associated with this problem of balance.

Do you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios?  If yes, where do you see yourself at the end of 2010?