Workweeks

TOKYO — Japan, a nation so hardworking its language has a term for literally working oneself to death, is trying to address a worrisome labor shortage by coaxing more people and companies to adopt four-day workweeks.

Banks are talking staggered workweeks with some personnel going to the office just two or three days a week, and office space is shared.

But mostly, Dad worked 50 or 60-hour workweeks and Mom eschewed paid work so she could focus on my brother and me.

In Louisiana, The Advocate and The Times-Picayune have furloughed some staff and put the rest on four-day workweeks.

Tuesday we settle into a grind of workweeks without universal holidays until it’s time to pull out the tree, put up the lights and start checking our list to see who’s naughty or nice.

This initially entailed almost a year's worth of 18-hour days and seven-day workweeks.