At Glassdoor, we are all about helping people finding a job and company they love, and helping employers recruit top talent. It’s what we do, and we love it. So on one hand, yes, we love work (a.k.a. labor). On the other hand, while the employment industry makes our work possible, we love a little time off. Add the two hands together and it becomes clear that we at Glassdoor celebrate work-life balance.
For that reason alone, we recommend that you stop reading this article now, it’s about work, and you should not be working today.
Hopefully, most of you have stopped reading. For those of you still with us, perhaps we should explain exactly why it’s so important that you enjoy your day today.
5 reasons you should not read this Labor Day story
1.. Work/life balance is a good thing: Work-life balance is the proper prioritization between the work you do (the things you do to earn a living) and your lifestyle (the things you do to better enjoy your life). It’s a simple concept, but one that many people struggle with everyday—and it’s likely more important than we realize.
According to a recent study by the American Sociology Review, 7 out of 10 American workers struggle to find a proper balance between their work lives and their home lives. As reported by the Mayo Clinic, lack of work-life balance has been shown to result in fatigue, stress-related heath issues, missed experiences/lost time with the people we love most and increased work expectations. While there are many resources to learn more about work-life balance, we learned a lot about work-life balance from 80’s hero Ferris Bueller (but that’s another story).
Have we convinced you to stop reading this article and have some fun yet?
2. There are a ton of shopping opportunities today: Like many holidays, Labor Day has become a shopping holiday. It’s true; there are endless shopping opportunities today, so if there’s something you need, or just really want, today might be the day to buy. If you’ve got the shopping bug, we’ve found a few great resources to check out:
- Today.com —The best Labor Day deals of 2015: How to shop like a pro
- People.com—Get Your Credit Cards Ready! 10 Sales to Shop This Labor Day Weekend
- U.S. News & World Report —The 9 Best Sales of Labor Day 2015
Have we convinced you to stop reading this article and do some shopping?
3. The weather is still AMAZING: Technically, today, (September 7, 2015) is still summer. That’s right, the last day of summer is September 22, and this is the last holiday we’ll have before we enter fall. Here in Mill Valley, Calif. it’s going to be 80 degrees and sunny, and you better believe our Glassdoor kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders will be enjoying the bay. We hope the weather is amazing where you are too!
Go out and do something fun! (Source: Glassdoor Photos)
Have we convinced you to stop reading this article to enjoy the sun?
4. There are plenty of excuses to be a couch potato: Sports fans have a special reason to celebrate today, the return of Football! While the first NFL game isn’t until Thursday, today marks the official start of the season. Non-sports fans, or those just looking for some good entertainment, should check out the myriad of TV marathons today, including:
- Animal Planet’s Best of Shark Week kicks off at 6 a.m. PT!
- How about six straight hours of Friends? TBS has you covered!
- FXX will be airing a Simpsons marathon starting at 6 a.m. PT!
- If these don’t thrill you, check out this complete marathon list from zap2it.com
Have we convinced you to stop reading this article to enjoy some TV time?
5. Your government wants you to take a day off: You must deserve it, right? In truth, Labor Day is so much more than a day to go to a parade, host a BBQ or your last chance to wear white pants this year.
It’s the U.S. government’s way of saying we all deserve a day off. But, where did the Holiday originate? As AOL points out, there are conflicting theories as to who created the tradition. We do know that the first Labor Day parade was held in NYC September 5, 1882, which became an annual tradition. By 1885 other states began to follow suit and in 1894, following pressure from organized unions and various strikes, President Grover Cleveland made it a national holiday. Thank you, Mr. President.
In the end, if our government thinks we deserve a day off, we should take them up on the offer, right?
Avoid workplace burnout (Source: Glassdoor Photos)
If you’re still reading, you haven’t followed any of our advice.
Our recommendation is to go out and enjoy your day. However, if you’re still not convinced, I suppose it’s time we give up and offer two last activities:
- Check out Glassdoor’s top rated companies for work-life balance
- Read a list of the careers with the best work-life balance
Happy Labor Day!