Often our Dad and Mom compares our work timing with theirs. Theirs was good. They enjoyed a lot more than what we do. Everybody was home by 6 and 6 to 10 was no work, only gup shup, TV etc … TV was black and white, Car was a retirement dream, own house was the retirement scheme, shopping was a quarterly affair, eating out was very rare and so on …
I can take an example from my traveling. There is a bus stop where we can good trees, shadow and protection from rain. We can stand there and take the next shuttle that comes in. If I go at 12 noon, I stand there and get a shuttle easily, I can pick one of my choice but in the morning, there are less shuttles and more people. So people walk 100 meters in scorching sun or rain as they want to reach office faster, look at them some more people cover 200 meters to get a car faster than these 100 meters and this race continues, we keep walking and walking. In case if I still stand under the tree, I am sure that I will not get anything for next 2 hours, so I am forced to join the walking race. Where do I draw the line? Wherever I draw it, I see others coming and drawing the next line? Is there an end to this? No, unless you say so.
What are alternatives:
– You change your routine, you adjust and start early
– You sacrifice the saving, hire a regular cab
– You find a job near by which may pay you less but you can avoid this race
– Or learn the art of getting the shuttle before others in some way or the other
– Or enjoy the race, keep running to be the first 🙂
– and so on ….
This competition is there to stay, the work is going to increase. I think we will have to define it some day or the other. Very good read by Gautam Ghosh,