time is money?

time is in fact money.  how does time = money, exactly?  well, let's examine this.  when you go to work, you spend anywhere from let's say 3-12 hours at work on any given day.  if you work a full time position, it's fair to say that the average work day is about 8 hours.  so, you spend an average of 40 hours a week there.  so when you're walking back to the office on your lunch break (and you've got 5 min to get back), and one of those greenpeace people stops you on michigan avenue to talk about saving the earth, they are wasting your time, because you need to be getting back to the office and getting back to work.  how does this tie in with the "time is money" theory?  well, if some random person is trying to talk to you about saving the earth when you're running back to the office, they are hypothetically wasting your money too.  let's face it, your boss isn't going to pay you for coming back late from lunch because you were busy talking about saving the earth.  he/she is not going to punch you in because they know you were doing something good for the planet.  that's something you do on your own time.  

a "just in time" economy...that expression reminds me of working in an office and hearing my boss or co-workers say, "i need that...yesterday."  a popular expression today in the working world, it implies that they need that proposal, or that task done, now.  ...because time is money.  in the business world for example, people want to be the first one to get things done...because getting things done first means getting the deal, or the job, the gig, etc.  if you use your time wisely and get things done first (and do them well), other business owners are more likely to choose you for the job or project.  a "just in time" economy means putting everything into your work but getting it done as quickly as possible.  it means getting things done now.  

time is money in terms of the politics of the shop floor too.  the battle between labor and management is all about time.  from the elizabeth england era, when workers were forced to work 12-15 hour days to keep people out of trouble, to today, where most people work an 8 hour shift because of changes in human rights and labor laws.  today, the battle of time and money is still fought between workers and management...in terms of paid vacations, family leave, retirement, and of course "free time."  considering "speed ups and slowdowns," there is a major battle with this too.  when our work is busy, employers may want their employees to put in overtime in order to get the job done, get it done well, and get it done first or just in time.  worker compensation is another battle.  this is something employees have fought very hard for, and for good reason.  it is the responsible and right thing for the employer or business owner to do, to give compensation to an employee who has put her/himself in danger.  

organized labor unions give employees a new perspective about time and money.  they give employees the message that they do not have to work more than their contracted time.  they only work what time has been agreed upon, and the rest is the employee's free time.  that free time can be whatever the employee wants it to be, whether that be a second job, family time, a hobby, or school.  the health and safety of workers are some of the main concerns or demands of organized labor unions.  people want to know they can count on their employer to watch their back so to speak and take care of them, esprecially if their health or safety is at risk on the job.

the value of consumer goods in terms of time and money is something that has really come into play in the last 20 years or so.  people are always looking for and finding new ways to cook, shop, travel, and everything else in a fast amount of time.  for example, if i purchase a lean cuisine meal instead of making a meal from scratch, well that means i can take less time to cook and have more time to either study or go out with my friends...or i could even do both because i'm not spending my whole night cooking.  and if i drive somewhere instead of taking public transit, i can save time and have therefore have more time to party.  however, when you consider parking in chicago, it may just be worth it to take public transit...unless there is valet parking.  that is again, another time saver.  however, like with that example, many times, time savers will cost you more money.  it's all a balancing act.  you get to decide what works into your life as an individual.