my working hours essay

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Good Essay About Working Hours And Performance

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Workplace , Employee , Performance , Employment , Health , Time Management , Schedule , Strategy

Words: 1000

Published: 11/02/2022

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The effectiveness of employees’ performance depends on the nature of the work, the working environment, and particularly the work scheduling. Based on this approach, different areas and occupations have different working schedules for their employees across the world. For instance, in the USA, the employees have to work for 1,794 hours annually, while the Germans tend to work for 1,433 hours annually. It reflects that there is a great difference in the working schedules and strategies of these regions. However, the effectiveness is compatible in both the cases. Therefore, the paper discusses the pros and cons of working hours to be 40 or 30 per week.

Pros and Cons of Strict Working Schedules

Across the world, different regions have been following different working schedules, and certainly have been producing effective outcomes in their respective field. Therefore, both the working schedules of 30 hours per week and 40 hours per week have their significant pros and cons. The fixed schedule of 40 hours a week has resulted in considerable improvement in the employees’ performance through the enforcement of ‘Obamacare Act’. It makes the employees dedicate their 8 hours per day five times a week. In this regard, the employees working for more hours are paid overtimes as per the nature of the task. The designed schedule is in accordance with the Work-Life Balance strategy that facilitates the employees to manage their personal and social life as well. However, when the success of this working strategy is compared to those who work for 30 hours a week, it seems that there are certain areas that lack in adequate management or proper utilization of the talent. Consequently, weekly 30 working hours seem to serve the insights of technological advancements. If the competitiveness still prevails, it focuses the working environment of these regions. Working hours mean involvement of a person in solely performing their jobs activities. People have to just focus on their intended tasks rather than getting indulged in other social activities even at the workplace. Since, employees are aware of the short working hours for the more complex task, their sense of accountability persists. They know they have to accomplish their tasks as extra hours will make them accountable to their management. If employees are made to work for more hours, they tend to be less creative, less productive, and even less healthy. As a matter of fact, the trend of 40 working hours per week has been resulting in notable unproductive outcomes in most of the cases. In particular cases, working for two or more hours tend to enhance the productivity, but making it a habit results in long-term impacts on productivity and personal health as well that is in accordance with “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention”. Employees’ performance in more weekly working hours reflects decreased alertness as their cognitive functioning gets affected resulting in increased fatigue that declines their vigilance towards the assigned tasks.

Managing the Employment Concerns and Compensation Benefits

In the case of employing a German professional, the greatest problem is of weekly working hours. Since Germans have the working schedule of 30 hours per week, even with productive and competitive outcomes. Therefore, making a German acknowledge the 40 hours working schedule seems challenging for the HR Director. As a result of employees’ psychological responses to the working hours and environment, the German professional is going to be facilitated with a mindset of 30 working hours in a week. However, it is definitely going to affect the entire workplace environment that might result in employees’ resistance. Based on the complexity of the assigned tasks, the German will have a comparatively rigid environment that demands prompt responses. There will be an “At-Will Employment Contract” that will provide the employer to take instant decisions based on the performance. Besides, the German will be offered to work on volunteer projects for which he will be expected to serve in the work flexible hours. Pay-increment or promotion will solely depend on the performance as they are expected to perform exceptionally. More specifically, the compensations will focus on variable pay as the compensation is tied to the productivity. Besides, the employment contract will include the Non-Competition and Confidentiality clauses. In addition to this, he will also be facilitated with the opportunity of availing employee grievance procedures, sick leaves and vacations, and health benefits. Conclusively, the opportunity of flexible working hours for the intended volunteer projects is going to assist the organization in coping with other employees’ resistance at the workplace for the hiring of German professional for compressed working hours. Based on the fact that the company needs such services, the working schedule and the delegated tasks of the German will be highly competitive as they are expected to yield exceptional performance. However, the ‘At-Will Employment Contract’ will assist the company in taking decisions against him if he is not efficient and proficient with his performance. Consequently, it is performance that matters more than the working hours. Therefore, if a person is performing exceptionally even in less working hours, he deserves the best appraisal as well as similar or more salary as compared to those working for 40 hours a week and still delivering fewer outcomes.

Coote, A. (2015). Reduce the Workweek to 30 Hours. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/09/rethinking-the-40-hour-work-week/reduce-the-workweek-to-30-hours Guerin, L. (2015). Employment At Will: What Does It Mean? Talk to lawyer box END. Retrieved from http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/employment-at-will-definition-30022.html General Employment Policies and Procedures. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.uwsp.edu/hr/Pages/CEH-General-Employment-Policies-and-Procedures.aspx Leonard, K. (2015, January 7). Businesses Push for 40-Hour Workweek in Obamacare Definition. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/01/07/businesses-push-for-40-hour-workweek-in-obamacare-definition Sherman, E. (2015). These 5 employers are rescuing the 40-hour workweek. Retrieved from Fortune : http://fortune.com/2015/10/20/40-hour-work-week-employers/ WORKPLACE Workplace Strategies that Enhance Performance, Health and Wellness. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.hok.com/thought-leadership/workplace-strategies-that-enhance-human-performance-health-and-wellness/

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Five Time-Management Tips

By  Gaia Vasiliver-Shamis

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When I was in my third year of graduate school I did an unthinkable thing: I had a baby.

I will admit it, I was already one of those organized people, but becoming a parent -- especially as an international student without nearby help -- meant I had to step up my game when it came to time-management skills. Indeed, I graduated in five years, with a solid publications list and my second successful DNA replication experiment in utero.

In a culture where the answer to the question “How are you doing?” contains the word “busy!” 95 percent of the time (nonscientific observation), knowing how to manage your time efficiently is key to your progress, your career success and, most important, your overall well-being.

In fact, a recent career-outcomes survey of past trainees conducted by Melanie Sinche, a senior research associate at the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, showed that time-management skills were No. 1 on the list of “skills I wish I were better at.” Thus, I believe some advice could be helpful, whether you need assistance with your academic progress, a job search while still working on your thesis or the transition to your first job (one in which you feel somewhat overwhelmed).

Luckily, you don’t need to have a baby to sharpen your time-management skills to be more productive and have a better work-life balance. But you do need to be able to understand what promotes that constant feeling of busyness that causes us to feel like we don’t have time for anything.

Let’s start with the basics of time-management mastery. They lie in what is known as the Eisenhower method (a.k.a. priority matrix), named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who said, “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.” According to that method, you need to triage your to-do list into four categories:

• Urgent and important. This category involves crises, such as a medical emergency or when your lab freezer breaks down. It is the things that you need to take care of now! If most of the things you do fall into this category, it suggests you are just putting our fires and not doing enough planning, i.e., spending time on the nonurgent and important category of tasks.
• Nonurgent and important. In a perfect world, that’s where most of your activity should be. It requires planning ahead, which can be more of a challenge for those of us who like to wing it, but it is still worth trying to plan some aspects of your daily life. This category also applies to activities such as your career development or exercise. If you want to make sure you have time to attend a networking event or go for a run, you don’t want to start an experiment 30 minutes before.
• Urgent and not important. These include all the distractions we get from our environment that may be urgent but are really not important, like some meetings, email and other interruptions. Wherever possible, these are the things you need to delegate to others, which I know is probably not an option for most of us. Evading some of these tasks sometimes takes being able to say no or moving the activity to the next category of nonurgent and not important.
• Nonurgent and not important. These are the typical time suckers such as Facebook, Candy Crush, cute cat videos and, most recently, Pokémon Go.

As Homo sapiens, we tend to focus only on what is urgent. I am no neuroscientist, but I assume it was probably evolutionarily necessary for our survival to wire our brain that way. Unfortunately, in today’s world, that beep on our phone that we will drop everything we are currently doing to check is often not as urgent as, let’s say, becoming a lion’s lunch. Therefore, ignoring it requires some serious willpower. Since the average person has only so much willpower, here are a few things you can do to make sure you spend most of your time on the nonurgent and important category.

Make a list and schedule tasks. Prepare for what’s coming. Start your day (or even the evening before) prioritizing your to-do list using the priority matrix and writing it down. There is plenty of research that shows that when we write things down, we are more likely to achieve them. I still love a good piece of paper and a pen, and checking off things on my to do-list gives me great joy. (Weird, I know.) But I also find tools like Trello very useful for tracking to-do lists for multiple projects as well as for collaborations. If you make a list but have the tendency to avoid it, try Dayboard , which will show you your to-do list every time you open a new tab.

Also, actively putting things that are important to us on the calendar (e.g., meeting with a good friend or hitting the gym) makes us happier. We all have a gazillion things we can be doing every day. And the key is to focus on the top one to three things that are most important and do them one task at a time. Yes, you read it correctly. One task at a time.

Understand that multitasking is from the devil. In our society, when we say that we are good at multitasking, it is like a badge of honor. But let’s admit it, multitasking is a scam. Our poor brains can’t focus on more than one thing at a time, so when you try to reply to email when listening on a conference call, you aren’t really doing any of those effectively -- you are just switching between tasks. A study from the University of London a couple of years ago showed that your IQ goes down by up to 15 points for men and 10 points for women when multitasking, which from a cognitive perspective is the equivalent of smoking marijuana or losing a night of sleep. So, yes, you get dumber when you multitask.

Moreover, other research has shown that constant multitasking can cause permanent damage to the brain. So instead of a skill we want to be proud of, it is in fact a bad habit that we should all try to quit. It can be as easy as turning off notifications or putting tools on your computer such as FocusMe or SelfControl . Such tools will allow you to focus on one task at a time by blocking distractions such as certain websites, email and the like. This brings us to the next topic of why and how you should avoid time suckers.

Recognize and avoid time suckers. Distractions are all around us: email, meetings, talkative colleagues and our very own wandering minds. The digital distractions such as email, Facebook, texting and app notifications are excellent attention grabbers. We all have a typical Pavlovian response when we hear that beep on our phone or computer -- we have to check it out and respond, and that usually leads to some mindless browsing … then we forget what we were supposed to be doing. Indeed, research shows that it takes on average 25 minutes to refocus our attention after an interruption as simple as a text message. Moreover, research also shows that those digital interruptions also make us dumber, even though when we learn to expect them, our brains can adapt. When you think about the number of distractions we are all exposed to during the day, this accumulates to many hours of lost productive time.

Social science has shown that our environment controls us, whether it is eating, making a decision on what house to buy or trying to focus on a task. Clearly, we can’t control everything in our environment, but at least we can control our digital space. It is hard to fight that Pavlovian response and not check who just commented on your Facebook post or pinged you on WhatsApp.

But while technology robs our focus, it also gave us tools to fight it. Even something as simple as turning off email notification can minimize the distraction. If you don’t think you are wasting time or just like a good scientist want to collect data about yourself, try RescueTime . Additionally, there are some great tools to help us stay distraction-free, such as StayFocused , which is a browser extension that blocks you from spending more than X amount of time on social media sites, and Freedom , which blocks distracting websites and apps across devices.

Take a break. Being more productive is great, but don’t expect to be able to focus on the same thing for long periods of time. Take short breaks to recharge. You should not feel guilty for doing so because you are too busy. The science backs up the importance of taking a break, as it helps you re-evaluate what you are doing, retain information, make new connections and more.

For those of you who love having a structure, a number of systematic methods allow you to take breaks and stay productive. One such method is the Pomodoro technique. You decide the task you are going to complete, set a timer for 25 minutes and, when time is up, take a five-minute break. Another favorite method is to work in 90-minute time blocks, which follows our natural body rhythm. What you do on your break can matter, too. Productivity-boosting activities go beyond getting a cup of coffee: you can stretch, take a short walk, read something that’s not work related, daydream or look at adorable animal videos.

Full disclosure, while writing this post I had to resist endless distractions, some of which I couldn’t resist and gave in to; I am not perfect by any means. Yet, you don’t have to become a time-management Jedi to be more productive in your life and work. Just be aware of how you spend your time and allocate as much as you can to the important and nonurgent category of tasks. Finally, try to avoid the urge of multitasking. Then you can have the time to work productively on your goals and still have enough left over for the things that you enjoy and that make you happy.

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Time to Take a Breathing Break at Work

Kelly is a high-performance expert and author of Intentionality : A Groundbreaking Guide to Breath, Consciousness, and Radical Self-Transformation . His mission is to help world-changing leaders implement his Intentionality methodology to find new levels of fulfillment and growth in their creative endeavors, relationships, and overall well-being

W hen we talk about effective business strategies, breathing is probably not a concept that crosses our minds. These conversations more often than not gravitate toward the conventional markers of success—market share, competitive advantage, profit margins, and growth trajectories. We picture meticulously crafted plans that map out the path to achieving corporate goals, driven by data analytics, market research, and financial projections.

But what if we took a radically different approach, one where we measured our success on prioritizing our employees well-being, rather than solely focusing on the company’s output? What if we prioritized one simple thing that we all have access to and can deploy at any time: the power of our breath.

It may seem “airy-fairy” or far leaning into the new age movement, but incorporating well-being and mental health into business strategies is starting to gain ground as a transformative trend. It turns out that a happy and healthy workforce is not just a moral imperative—it is a competitive advantage.

In an age where the business landscape is quickly evolving, the modern market demands more than just traditional tactics; it calls for a holistic approach that integrates the human element at its core, especially with the rise of AI. We’ve seen that the next generation of talent is demanding more from their employee experience, one where how they feel at work matters just as much as how they are compensated. And the truth is that companies that actively support their employees' mental and emotional health are also seeing improvements in productivity, morale, and retention.

In reports from Gallup's December 2023 poll , nearly half of U.S. adults, upwards of 45%, reported frequently feeling stress, and this is undoubtedly magnified in the workplace. Many organizations think they have a people problem when, in fact, they have a leadership opportunity. A critical component of effective leadership is identifying whether you are operating from a state of fear, or a state of love. When we are stressed our decisions and behaviors are driven from an unconscious emotional operating system and we contribute to a culture of fear-based incentivizing.

Read More: 6 Expert-Backed Ways To Manage Your Stress

The science of stress can be broken down like this: when someone faces a stressful situation, the amygdala—a part of the brain involved in processing emotions—sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. Upon receiving the distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands then release the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) into the bloodstream. As epinephrine spreads throughout the body, several physiological changes occur. The heart starts beating faster, increasing blood flow to the muscles, heart, and other vital organs, while restricting the blood cells in our forebrain. Pulse rate and blood pressure rise, and breathing becomes quicker. 

With our blood now flowing to our limbs in order to help us, quite literally, flee the situation, our cognitive processing, things like rational and logical decision-making, is impaired. We are now operating from a conditioned state of survival, but the challenge is that in the modern-day world, we’re not very good at distinguishing threats from non-threats. And if our limbic system (whose function is to process and regulate our emotions, memories, instincts, and moods) isn’t attuned to know the difference in what we perceive as threats, our decision-making abilities can quickly become compromised. For example, when receiving a distressing e-mail, your body will activate the same stress response that it would if you were evading a saber-toothed tiger back in primitive times. So the experience of dealing with the e-mail includes restricted blood flow to the conscious mind and a reduced conscious awareness of the correlating physiological responses. In essence: you forget to breathe. And this greatly reduces anyone’s capacity to make an intelligent decision or regulate their behavioral or emotional responses in a productive way.

Studies have demonstrated that various emotions correlate with distinct breathing patterns, and by altering our breath, we can influence our emotional state. For instance, when experiencing joy, our breathing tends to be steady, deep, and slow. Conversely, feelings of anxiety or anger often lead to irregular, rapid, and shallow breaths. By consciously adopting the breathing rhythms linked to specific emotions, we can effectively induce and experience those emotions ourselves.

In other words, if the order is reversed and the physiological state is consciously changed, it can have an immediate effect on the psychological state. The quickest way to do this is by employing conscious breathing. One can use the breath to reset their own system, and it can also be employed with a team to release stress and get everyone energetically connected. This can be especially helpful before a team strategy meeting, creative planning, or even at the start of each day since everyone comes in with their own stressors from their individual lives.

One such breath is an “Emotional Clearing Breath,” which can be used to change your energy and calm the nervous system down. First, a negative feeling that needs clearing should be identified. Focus on a recent event or encounter that resulted in a negative reaction. Try to get to the root of what triggered the reaction—not the act itself but what the event activated within. This will be a core emotion like feeling unworthy, unseen, unlovable, unvalued, inadequate, insignificant, helpless, or rejected.

Next, engage in diaphragmatic breathing. Use the inhale breath to fill the belly like a balloon, deepening the breath into the lungs, then empty the lungs and slightly contract the belly to release the air on the exhale. Continue to take big, deep breaths in through the nose while restricting the throat, resulting in an oceanic-sounding breath. Then exhale the air out of the mouth, keeping the restriction of the throat and maintaining the oceanic sound—as if fogging up a mirror with the breath. Once in a rhythm, repeat this inhale-exhale cycle of breath for four rounds and then take a few moments to come back to a natural pattern of breathing. Anchor into the present moment and notice the peacefulness that occurs.

What often stands in the way of our growth is our attachment to outcomes, rather than our attention to our feelings. Breath is the simplest and most effective tool that allows us to respond rather than react and override negative feelings and beliefs. Strategies that emphasize human connection, a collective purpose, and emotional intelligence are proving to be just as crucial as those centered on fiscal prudence. When we include these softer dimensions, we are not abandoning rigor or profitability. Instead, we are enhancing our capacity to connect with customers, inspire employees, and build resilient organizations that thrive in the long term.

Let's get back to the basics and reconnect with our breath as we recognize that the most successful strategies are those that balance the head with the heart, numbers with narratives, and profits with principles. These multidimensional strategies are not just a response to a changing world—they are the blueprint for building businesses that are resilient, sustainable, and truly impactful. In doing so, we will pave the way for a more inclusive, innovative, and humane approach to business that meets the needs of our time.

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Planet Money

Keynes predicted we would be working 15-hour weeks. why was he so wrong.

David Kestenbaum

The economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that his grandkids would work just 15 hours a week. He imagined by now, we would basically work Monday and Tuesday, and then have a five-day weekend. His family's grandkids help explain why he was so wrong.

Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

IELTS Writing 2 Topic: People tend to work longer hours nowadays

Updated On Feb 29, 2024

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The Essay Writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS Aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Below is a sample IELTS Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

People tend to work longer hours nowadays. People say that working long hours has a negative effect on themselves, their families and the society, so working hours should be restricted. Do you agree or disagree?

Opinion Essay

Introduction

Sentence 1: Introduce the given topic

Sentence 2: Clearly and directly state your point of view with one short and simple sentence

Paragraph 1: It damages relationships with family, disrupts social lives and impedes communication activities. It also causes a feeling of depression and a psychological disturbance that is suffered by many jobholders.

Paragraph 2: Not only it leads  to the low quality of work but also to higher absenteeism and turnover.

[do_widget id=custom_html-24]

Restate your opinion with a clear and direct sentence

Sample Essay

In the modern world, working continuously for long hours has become a topic for discussion, especially at the time when employees’ benefits have been given a serious thought. Considering the extension of working hours seriously, I am supportive of the argument that long working hours have a negative influence on employees, the organizations they work for, and ultimately upon the general economy and society as a whole. In the forthcoming paragraphs, I will be highlighting my opinion.

For individuals working for longer hours, there are two issues. It not only damages relationships with family, disrupts social lives and impedes communication activities but also causes a feeling of depression, a psychological disturbance that is suffered by many jobholders. It also exerts pressure on the employment market, and in turn, reduces the number of job vacancies.

For corporates, working incessantly, it has destructive effects in the long run. The primary reason is that staff tend to be less productive and are at greater risks of sickness. It would lead not only to the low quality of work but also to higher absenteeism and turnover. Therefore, employers have no choice but to spend much more on recruiting and training new employees. To a country in general, it has chronic impacts, preventing the optimization of resource and human capital.

Although some people might argue that it is reasonable for an employer to expect flexibility during a specific busy period, tolerance of this practice would enable employers to exploit labour and omit the benefits that employees deserve.

In light of the above discussion, working long hours is not acceptable in any manner. In short, this would lead to frequent sick leaves and low productivity, thereby doing more harm than good to people and the corporates as well.

• Psychological disturbance
• Incessantly
• Destructive
• Absenteeism
• In light of

Band 9 Sample Essay

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 The grave competition among businesses and people, at large, has been conspicuously intensifying nowadays, and with it, the working timings have been extending exponentially. This has exacerbated the work-life balance of employees today and hence should be tapered off vigilantly. I will be putting forth my standpoint on this issue in the forthcoming paragraphs of this essay.

As the population grows, struggle blooms and hence, the dearth of employment thrives as per which an employee faintly survives. It is incontrovertible that an individual matches up the pace with employment and all-time sky-rocketing survival thresholds. Even for the businesses to flourish and as the struggle to conquest over everyone else sustains, the employees working in the segment are the ones who are marred the most. This trend not only denudes the working professionals off their own personal lives but also germinates the seedling of various disorders resulting from working incessantly. The time that could have been invested in the happy hours of the family is vigorously being taken over by the working regime. This often points towards incoherence among the family members and obliterates the relationship.

Various underlying health anomalies including hypertension, stress, migraine and even cardiac errata have been resurfacing more than ever in the present time. Secondly, to have its employees drudging ceaselessly, companies often have to bear the losses due to the least outcome and yield from them and hence couldn’t harness the most optimum benefit out of them. This indeed is an improvident usage of the human capital and thereby, squandering the labour, perspiration and time put in for the projects. People working like a trojan today inevitably attenuates on their social fronts and hence halt the most important nuance and the subset of health as a whole. 

Though to some it might look justified for extending the working hours due to the strife in the business world, it makes the employees’ lives drab and lustreless and hence, in the longer marathon, obstructs the growth of them as well as the companies they are working for. 

Conclusively, the inference made is that people work and earn to live and not live to earn, therefore the disproportionate extension of the working schedule is not only a deterrent to the velocities of businesses but also a menace to human diaspora on a whole.

Bonus question:

Nowadays many jobs are more stressful and the working day is longer. What are the reasons for this? What can employers do to help employees?

More Writing Task 2 Essay Topics

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• Recent Figures Show An Increase In Violent Crime Among Youngsters Under The Age Of 18
• Many People Argue That In Order To Improve Educational Quality
• Should Wealthy Nations Be Required To Share Their Wealth

Also check :

• IELTS Writing Task 2
• Tips to write introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2
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Posted on Mar 30, 2022

As there has been and advancement in the society and economy, there has been a drastic increase in the work load to sustain the growth. It involves working for extremely long hours to achieve the desired result. It is argued that working long hours has negative impact on lives and should be restricted and I agree with this notion.

Firstly, working long hours ruins an individual’s work life balance. It plays a destructive role in shifting an individuals priority from his family and health to solely work. It causes a rift in families especially with young kids that need a parents attention. As a result, it has an impact on a person mental health . Working long hours sets a precedent in the society that it is the sole pathway to success and achieve one’s dream thus creating a herd mentality driven by working long hours.

Secondly, working hours does not always guarantee success. The concept of diminishing returns explains that the more an individual works, his ability to produce top quality result decreases. It increases the chances of mistakes exponentially, leading to constant rework. In spite of the workload , we need to limit working hours and focus on innovative methods to deal with the quantum of work. Restricting work hours would allow individuals to find means to complete work efficiently. Companies would be forced to develop and focus on tools that allow the quantum of work to be completed in a limited time. This would lead to great technological advancements such as the concept of supply chain management that makes work more efficient.

In conclusion, restricting work hours would lead to effective output, more family bonding and healthier and productive workforce.

Posted on Mar 31, 2022

Band Score – 5

Concentrate on the correct usage of articles, nouns, verb forms, subject verb agreement and punctuation.

Since it is an opinion essay, you are required write about one line of contrast in a separate body after presenting two body paragraphs supporting your views.

Pay attention to spellings/ words in a context and proper spacing between words.

Use C2 level of words.

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The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

The positive effects of the four-day workweek, experiment in japan, the negative effects of the four-day workweek, works cited.

Various organizations and companies have always been looking for a way to increase the productivity of their employees. One of these methods is to reduce the working week to four days. In connection with such a decision, people were divided into two camps. Some believe that a four-day working week will do more harm than good, and therefore such an experience should not be adopted. Other people are sure that such an approach has many undeniable advantages and is worthy of further consideration and application. The author of this work believes that a four-day working week is a promising and prosperous method, which, despite some shortcomings, will positively impact companies’ economy and the condition of employees.

Nowadays, the day of an ordinary person is painted literally by the minute. According to analytical data, the number of cases of burnout of employees of various companies is gradually increasing. Burnout often leads to health problems, which is bad not only for the employees themselves but also for the companies in which they work – they suffer losses. Burned out or just tired employees are less proactive, less productive, and the quality of their work is worse. Therefore, it is desirable to find an optimal balance between work and personal life. According to doctors, on average, a person can productively perform their duties for no more than 4-5 hours during the working day (Evans). The rest of the time is creating the appearance of work, smoke breaks, conversations, and coffee. Increasing the number of working hours, as a rule, does not lead to a rapid increase in the efficiency of the company.

It is advisable to consider the advantages of such a schedule in more detail.

• Some employees may be motivated by the idea of three days off and increase their productivity on working days (Evans).
• Employees are less likely to be distracted from the work that needs to be done in a week and try to solve all the day’s tasks without postponing tomorrow. The work should be done efficiently and on time because there will no longer be the fifth day to revise and correct errors.
• Due to three days off, employees get more time for their hobbies, creative development, additional training, and self-improvement.
• A four-day working week helps reduce traffic in cities and harmful emissions and fuel and travel costs (Evans).

Thus, a four-day work week provides employees with more time for families and hobbies and reduces stress levels while increasing productivity and efficiency.

In 2019, Microsoft Japan, the Japanese division of the American corporation, introduced a four-day working week. As part of the Work-Life Choice Challenge project, 2,300 employees began working from Monday to Thursday, and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they rested. The company then presented the results, comparing them with August 2016-2018, when there were no such experiments (International Business Times). As it turned out, employees began to go on sick leave less often, the number of days off decreased by a quarter, paper consumption fell by half, and electricity consumption decreased by about a quarter. Labor productivity increased by 39.9%, even though employees spent less time working (International Business Times). The company explained the increase in productivity, including a decrease in the number of working meetings and a reduction in their holding time. Thus, the experiment conducted in Japan ended successfully and demonstrated various advantages of a four-day working week.

Nevertheless, speaking about the advantages and positive aspects of such a schedule, it is necessary to mention the negative aspects that are undoubtedly present.

• Not everyone can switch to such a schedule, which includes four-working days a week. It is difficult to imagine a metallurgist, a seller in a store, or a public utility representative moving to a four-day working week. In most cases, only office employees can switch to a shortened week (Ovais, Bharatan and Shrivastava).
• After leaving for a four-day working week, the increase in labor productivity may fall after a while because, at first, a person experiences the joy of shortening the working week and then gets used to it.
• Shortening the working week without reducing the number of working hours leads to an increase in the level of fatigue on working days (Ovais, Bharatan and Shrivastava).
• Employees may experience significant stress from completing a task in just four days instead of five.
• Companies that have offered a shortened working week, in some cases, proportionally reduce employees’ salaries.
• The reduction in the average length of the working week is equivalent to the loss of several hundred thousand private jobs in the non-agricultural sector (Lazear).

Based on all of the above, it can be noted that such an initiative has some severe drawbacks that need to be taken into account during the transition to a four-day working week.

A shortened working week has real prospects for many companies, as it allows for positive changes in the economy and the condition of employees. This method increases the amount of free time that employees can spend on themselves, their families and hobbies, and raises their motivation level in the workplace. Although the shortened working week has an impressive number of positive aspects, it is impossible not to note the disadvantages that it also has. Nevertheless, this initiative is effective for many companies, as it has a beneficial effect on their corporate culture.

“4-Day Workweek Experiment Boosted Microsoft Japan’s Productivity By 40%.” International Business Times [U.S. ed.], 2019, p. N.A. Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints, Web.

Evans, Joseph. “It’s Time to Retire the Five-day Workweek.” Marriott Student Review 4.2 (2021): 15.

Lazear, Edward Paul. “The bad news in the good jobs numbers: the economy is creating more jobs, but shorter workweeks have wiped out the gains.” Hoover Digest, no. 3, 2014, p. 56+. Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints, Web.

Ovais, D., Bharatan, S., & Shrivastava, G. (2020). Four Day Workweek A Magic Trick or A False Impression: Sustainability Analysis In The Digital Era. In AU Virtual International Conference Entrepreneurship and Sustainability in the Digital Era (Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 89-103).

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• Chicago (A-D)
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IvyPanda. (2022, December 16). The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-four-day-workweek-and-its-positive-effects/

"The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects." IvyPanda , 16 Dec. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-four-day-workweek-and-its-positive-effects/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects'. 16 December.

IvyPanda . 2022. "The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-four-day-workweek-and-its-positive-effects/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-four-day-workweek-and-its-positive-effects/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Four-Day Workweek and Its Positive Effects." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-four-day-workweek-and-its-positive-effects/.

Home — Essay Samples — Education — Why Is College Important — The First Semester in College: Personal Experience

My First Year College Experience

• Categories: College Education College Experience Why Is College Important

About this sample

Words: 1214 |

Published: Aug 30, 2022

Words: 1214 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Works Cited

• Bruni, Frank. “How to Get the Most Out of College.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 Aug. 2018,

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

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IELTS Essay: Laws to Limit Working Hours

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 7 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of laws to limit working hours from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Customer Needs

Some countries have introduced laws to limit working hours for employees.

Why are these laws introduced?

Do you think they are a positive or negative development?

An increasing number of nations have enacted laws to protect average working hours. In my opinion, these laws are meant to limit exploitive practices and they are advantageous if enforced well.

Lawmakers typically argue these reforms defend employees. Before labor laws existed, it was common for corporations to require long working days under extreme conditions. Modern stipulations that limit working hours are responding to these deeply-rooted historic concerns. For example, in many developing nations, the labor laws are often not strict, leading to so-called ‘sweatshops’ where employees work long hours in dangerous environments for little pay. This mistreatment has been exposed in the media and now citizens demand better treatment. The laws therefore establish basic guidelines to prevent employees from working excessive hours.

On the whole, these laws are positive as long as they are nuanced and enforced consistently. There are many countries where such laws have been passed but in practice they are not followed and workers have little recourse to report infractions. These laws must be strictly monitored including preventing employers from firing employees who make complaints. Moreover, there are possible exceptions. A factory worker, for example, should never be required to work too many hours as they are likely earning a low wage and putting their health at risk. However, many white collar workers, such as those at a start-up, may desire to work 90+ hour workweeks due to an overriding passion for a project. The law must discriminate between these dissimilar cases.

In conclusion, labor laws related to maximum working hours are meant to safeguard workers’ rights and are positive generally depending on their execution. It is important that governments propose laws they believe are enforceable and beneficial for the whole of society.

1. An increasing number of nations have enacted laws to protect average working hours. 2. In my opinion, these laws are meant to limit exploitive practices and they are advantageous if enforced well.

• Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Lawmakers typically argue these reforms defend employees. 2. Before labor laws existed, it was common for corporations to require long working days under extreme conditions. 3. Modern stipulations that limit working hours are responding to these deeply-rooted historic concerns. 4. For example, in many developing nations, the labor laws are often not strict, leading to so-called ‘sweatshops’ where employees work long hours in dangerous environments for little pay. 5. This mistreatment has been exposed in the media and now citizens demand better treatment. 6. The laws therefore establish basic guidelines to prevent employees from working excessive hours.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Develop it with specific examples.
• Keep developing it fully.
• Stay focused on the same main idea.
• Finish by adding extra detail.

1. On the whole, these laws are positive as long as they are nuanced and enforced consistently. 2. There are many countries where such laws have been passed but in practice they are not followed and workers have little recourse to report infractions. 3. These laws must be strictly monitored including preventing employers from firing employees who make complaints. 4. Moreover, there are possible exceptions. 5. A factory worker, for example, should never be required to work too many hours as they are likely earning a low wage and putting their health at risk. 6. However, many white collar workers, such as those at a start-up, may desire to work 90+ hour workweeks due to an overriding passion for a project. 7. The law must discriminate between these dissimilar cases.

• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Explain your new main idea.
• Include specific details and examples.
• Continue developing it…
• as fully as possible!
• For this one, you might include some of the positive and negative.
• Finish with a strong statement.

1. In conclusion, labor laws related to maximum working hours are meant to safeguard workers’ rights and are positive generally depending on their execution. 2. It is important that governments propose laws they believe are enforceable and beneficial for the whole of society.

• Summarise your main ideas.
• Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

An increasing number of nations have enacted laws to protect average working hours. In my opinion, these laws are meant to limit exploitive practices and they are advantageous if enforced well .

Lawmakers typically argue these reforms defend employees. Before labor laws existed, it was common for corporations to require long working days under extreme conditions . Modern stipulations that limit working hours are responding to these deeply-rooted historic concerns . For example, in many developing nations , the labor laws are often not strict , leading to so-called ‘sweatshops’ where employees work long hours in dangerous environments for little pay . This mistreatment has been exposed in the media and now citizens demand better treatment . The laws therefore establish basic guidelines to prevent employees from working excessive hours.

On the whole , these laws are positive as long as they are nuanced and enforced consistently . There are many countries where such laws have been passed but in practice they are not followed and workers have little recourse to report infractions . These laws must be strictly monitored including preventing employers from firing employees who make complaints . Moreover, there are possible exceptions . A factory worker , for example, should never be required to work too many hours as they are likely earning a low wage and putting their health at risk . However, many white collar workers , such as those at a start-up , may desire to work 90+ hour workweeks due to an overriding passion for a project. The law must discriminate between these dissimilar cases .

In conclusion, labor laws related to maximum working hours are meant to safeguard workers’ rights and are positive generally depending on their execution . It is important that governments propose laws they believe are enforceable and beneficial for the whole of society .

increasing growing

enacted laws pass regulations

protect average safeguard normal

meant supposed to be for

limit exploitive practices keep under control taking advantage of workers

advantageous positive

if enforced well assuming they are actively followed

lawmakers the government

reforms changes

defend safeguard

labor laws rules safeguarding workers

common prevalent

corporations companies

require need

under extreme conditions in bad working environments

modern stipulations new rules

responding addressing

deeply-rooted historic concerns worries from a long time in the past

developing nations poorer countries

strict severe

leading causing

so-called often termed

‘sweatshops’ factories where workers are mistreated

dangerous environments unsafe workplaces

little pay not much of a salary

mistreatment treated badly

exposed made people aware of it

demand better treatment ask strongly for fairer laws

establish basic guidelines put in place minimum rules

prevent stop

excessive too strong

on the whole overall

as long as assuming that

nuanced complex

enforced consistently everyone follows them all the time

passed enacted

in practice in reality

recourse way to complain

report infractions make complaints about breaking the rules

strictly monitored watched closely

preventing stopping

firing getting laid off

make complaints report a problem

possible exceptions potential cases outside the norm

factory worker person working in a factory

earning a low wage not making much money

putting their health at risk easy to get sick, hurt

white collar workers people with good office jobs

start-up new company

90+ hour workweeks really long hours

due to because of

overriding passion really strong desire

discriminate between know the different between

dissimilar cases different examples

maximum the most

safeguard protect

depending on in some cases

execution how they are done

propose laws suggest rules

enforceable can be enforced, followed

beneficial good

the whole of society everyone

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search :

ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ   ɪˈnæktɪd lɔːz   prəˈtɛkt ˈævərɪʤ   mɛnt   ˈlɪmɪt ˈɛksplɔɪtɪv ˈpræktɪsɪz   ˌædvənˈteɪʤəs   ɪf ɪnˈfɔːst wɛl ˈlɔːˌmeɪkəz   ˌriːˈfɔːmz   dɪˈfɛnd   ˈleɪbə lɔːz   ˈkɒmən   ˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃənz   rɪˈkwaɪə   ˈʌndər ɪksˈtriːm kənˈdɪʃənz ˈmɒdən ˌstɪpjʊˈleɪʃənz   rɪsˈpɒndɪŋ ˈdiːpli-ˈruːtɪd hɪsˈtɒrɪk kənˈsɜːnz dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ˈneɪʃənz strɪkt ˈliːdɪŋ   ˈsəʊˈkɔːld   ˈswɛtˌʃɒps   ˈdeɪnʤrəs ɪnˈvaɪərənmənts   ˈlɪtl peɪ mɪsˈtriːtmənt   ɪksˈpəʊzd   dɪˈmɑːnd ˈbɛtə ˈtriːtmənt ɪsˈtæblɪʃ ˈbeɪsɪk ˈgaɪdlaɪnz   prɪˈvɛnt   ɪkˈsɛsɪv   ɒn ðə həʊl æz lɒŋ æz   nju(ː)ˈɑːnst   ɪnˈfɔːst kənˈsɪstəntli pɑːst   ɪn ˈpræktɪs   rɪˈkɔːs   rɪˈpɔːt ɪnˈfrækʃənz ˈstrɪktli ˈmɒnɪtəd   prɪˈvɛntɪŋ   ˈfaɪərɪŋ   meɪk kəmˈpleɪnts ˈpɒsəbl ɪkˈsɛpʃənz ˈfæktəri ˈwɜːkə ˈɜːnɪŋ ə ləʊ weɪʤ   ˈpʊtɪŋ ðeə hɛlθ æt rɪsk waɪt ˈkɒlə ˈwɜːkəz ˈstɑːtʌp 90+  ˈaʊə ˈwɜːkwiːks   djuː tuː   ˌəʊvəˈraɪdɪŋ ˈpæʃən   dɪsˈkrɪmɪnɪt bɪˈtwiːn   ˌdɪˈsɪmɪlə ˈkeɪsɪz ˈmæksɪməm   ˈseɪfgɑːd   dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɒn   ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃən prəˈpəʊz lɔːz ɪnˈfɔːsəbl   ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl   ðə həʊl ɒv səˈsaɪəti

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

An i___________g number of nations have e_____________s to p_____________e working hours. In my opinion, these laws are m_______t to l___________________s and they are a________________s i_________________l .

L______________s typically argue these r_________s d________d employees. Before l____________s existed, it was c_________n for c_____________s to r__________e long working days u__________________________s . M_____________________s that limit working hours are r___________g to these d___________________________________s . For example, in many d_______________________s , the labor laws are often not s_______t , l_________g to s___________d ‘s_____________s’ where employees work long hours in d_____________________________s for l_________y . This m______________t has been e_________d in the media and now citizens d_______________________t . The laws therefore e_____________________s to p_________t employees from working e_____________e hours.

O_______________e , these laws are positive a__________s they are n________d and e______________________y . There are many countries where such laws have been p________d but i__________e they are not followed and workers have little r__________e to r___________________s . These laws must be s_____________________d including p___________g employers from f_______g employees who m__________________s . Moreover, there are p______________________s . A f__________________r , for example, should never be required to work too many hours as they are likely e______________________e and p_____________________________k . However, many w____________________s , such as those at a s_________p , may desire to work 9________________________s d________o an o____________________n for a project. The law must d_______________________n these d________________s .

In conclusion, labor laws related to m___________m working hours are meant to s____________d workers’ rights and are positive generally d______________n their e_________________n . It is important that governments p_____________s they believe are e_________________e and b______________l for t______________________y .

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice :

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/03/american-immigration-service-slavery/555824/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

Work (Model answer available on my  Patreon )

• Do you work or are you a student?
• Do you like your current job?
• In the future, do you want to change jobs?

Writing Practice

Practice with the same basic topic below and then check with my sample answer:

In many countries, people are spending more time in their workplace.

Why is this?

Is this a negative or positive development?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay General Training: Workplace Hours (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

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its a tricky question because when you want to say why government pose such laws, you may unintentionally think about benefits and write the benefits for the first part of question. then for the second part when you want to say these laws are positive than you don’t have anything to write.

Excellent point, Sadeq, I hadn’t thought of that!

I suppose that is a common risk in cause/positive or negative questions.

a bit wonder about your body 2 in which you are supposed to prove why this reform is positive not about how this policy should be enforced.

Yes, I see what you mean.

I took the tactic of assuming they are inherently positive and then just pointed out the cases when they could be negative (not enforced, enforced too rigidly).

That strategy works find but you could also answer more directly why they are positive/negative – though you could have the issue where you basically just repeat the cause from body 1 in that case.

Yeah, I have the same wonder as well. I think the body 2 should talk about why this is positive and list the advantages.

It’s a slightly roundabout way of arguing that it is positive – it is positive if enforced in a certain way.

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07-11-2024 NEWS

Slurpee Day 2024: How to get your free frozen treat at 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes today

The convenience store chain, which dates back to 1927, is celebrating its birthday on Thursday, July 11. That means the return of its annual promotion.

[Photos: 7-Eleven]

BY  Michael Grothaus 1 minute read

If the summer heat is getting to you, a delicious way to cool down is by grabbing a frozen beverage, like 7-Eleven’s iconic Slurpee.

And today, you can get the drink for free.

July 11 is when 7-Eleven celebrates its birthday (7/11, get it?). The convenience store chain turns 97 today. It was originally founded in 1927 as the Southland Ice Company in Dallas, and from 1928 to 1946, it was known as Tote’m Stores, before becoming the convenience store brand we’re all familiar with now.

7-Eleven also calls its birthday “ Slurpee Day ” since that’s the day it gives away its iconic drink as a gift to customers.

What are the rules of Slurpee Day and where can I get a free one?

Slurpee Day 2024 will see customers being able to grab a free small Slurpee of any flavor when they go to a participating 7-Eleven store.

There is no purchase necessary to get the free Slurpee. 

But 7-Eleven stores aren’t the only ones giving out free Slurpees today. The company’s two other brands, Speedway and Stripes Convenience Stores, will also be offering customers a free small Slurpee at participating locations.

How many free Slurpees can I get today?

If one free Slurpee isn’t enough, you can actually get a second small Slurpee for free if you are a 7REWARDS or Speedy Rewards loyalty program member. The second free Slurpee for members can be redeemed at the same time as you get the first free Slurpee, or you can wait to redeem the second free Slurpee until any time between now and July 31.

Finally, 7-Eleven has also announced that in celebration of Slurpee Day 2024, the company is offering a limited-edition MTN DEW Freedom Fusion Slurpee flavor, which you can choose as your free Slurpee—or opt for any other flavor you desire.

Recognize your technological breakthrough by applying to this year’s Next Big Things in Tech Awards! Extended Deadline to Apply: Friday, July 19.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Grothaus is a novelist and author. He has written for Fast Company since 2013, where he's interviewed some of the tech industry’s most prominent leaders and writes about everything from Apple and artificial intelligence to the effects of technology on individuals and society.   More

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IELTS Sample Writing Task 2: Reducing the Working Week

by Phuong Nhung Nguyen (Hanoi, Vietnam)

Your first paragraph is a bit mixed up because you refer to ‘psychological problems’ in the topic sentence but then you talk about ‘physical problems’ i.e. headache and heart attack. You need to be careful about the differences. The first are to do with the mind and the others the body. Diseases = we don’t tend to use the word for mental health problems. It is usually used for physical problems with the body. Approve = signify satisfaction or acceptance. It can’t be used in this context. Check some sample sentences on the internet. "this problem should be discussed and legalized" = you have said here that we should ‘legalize this problem”. You can’t legalize a problem. “To legalize” means to make something illegal legal, so it does not apply here. I think you mean “the government should pass legislation to make working weeks shorter”.

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U.S. Creates High-Tech Global Supply Chains to Blunt Risks Tied to China

The Biden administration is trying to get foreign companies to invest in chip-making in the United States and more countries to set up factories to do final assembly and packaging.

By Edward Wong and Ana Swanson

Reporting from Washington

If the Biden administration had its way, far more electronic chips would be made in factories in, say, Texas or Arizona.

They would then be shipped to partner countries, like Costa Rica or Vietnam or Kenya, for final assembly and sent out into the world to run everything from refrigerators to supercomputers.

Those places may not be the first that come to mind when people think of semiconductors. But administration officials are trying to transform the world’s chip supply chain and are negotiating intensely to do so.

The core elements of the plan include getting foreign companies to invest in chip-making in the United States and finding other countries to set up factories to finish the work. Officials and researchers in Washington call it part of the new “chip diplomacy.”

The Biden administration argues that producing more of the tiny brains of electronic devices in the United States will help make the country more prosperous and secure. President Biden boasted about his efforts in his interview on Friday with ABC News, during which he said he had gotten South Korea to invest billions of dollars in chip-making in the United States.

But a key part of the strategy is unfolding outside America’s borders, where the administration is trying to work with partners to ensure that investments in the United States are more durable.

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Biden addresses the nation after Trump assassination attempt: Live updates

BETHEL PARK, Pa. – Former President Donald Trump said Sunday that "God alone" had spared him from a brazen assassination attempt , an act of political violence the likes of which America had not seen since an attack on President Ronald Reagan's life 43 years ago.

Trump, who was recovering after he was injured in the right ear when a sniper opened fire Saturday evening, vowed to press on with this week's GOP convention in Milwaukee.

One spectator was killed and two others were critically injured when bullets rained down from an AR-15-style rifle from a rooftop about 400 feet outside Trump's campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania.

"Our love goes out to the other victims and their families," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social on Sunday morning. "We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed."

President Joe Biden called for national unity at a short White House news conference Sunday and said he spoke with Trump briefly on Saturday night and, "I'm sincerely grateful that he's doing well and recovering." Biden also said he would address the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday night.

The FBI identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks , 20, of Bethel Park, outside Pittsburgh. Crooks was killed by Secret Service agents moments after gunfire erupted at the former president's rally.

Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania: Trump wounded in assassination attempt. Biden calls it 'sick': Here's what we know

Developments:

∎ House Speaker Mike Johnson said on the "TODAY" show Sunday that the country has to "turn the temperature down" in the political discourse, and he promised Congress will do a full investigation of the incident "to determine where there were lapses in security and anything else that the American people need to know."

∎ The gunman's father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN Saturday evening that he was trying to figure out "what the hell is going on" and would "wait until I talk to law enforcement" before sharing details about his son.

∎ The gunman had explosive devices in his car, the Wall Street Journal reported . Police received multiple reports of suspicious packages near where the shooter was, officials said, according to the report. An Allegheny County Bomb Squad vehicle entered the area cordoned off by police Sunday morning.

∎ U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland canceled travel plans for this week to stay in Washington, D.C., and "closely monitor the investigation" into the assassination attempt, Justice Department Director of Public Affairs Xochitl Hinojosa said in a statement Sunday.

Biden: 'We must unite as a nation' after assassination attempt

Biden called Sunday for unity across the country following the assassination attempt on Trump.

"Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is more important than that right now," Biden said from the Roosevelt Room at the White House, noting he had "a short but good conversation" with Trump on Saturday night. 

Biden said he will address the nation from the Oval Office later Sunday and speak about how we "must unite as one nation to demonstrate who we are."

In the Situation Room earlier Sunday, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed by the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement officials. 

In his brief news conference, Biden condemned the violence on his political rival, saying: "An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation, everything. It's not who we are as a nation, it's not American."

− Rebecca Morin

Trump heads to the convention in Milwaukee

A day after being the subject of an assassination attempt, Trump’s plane landed in Milwaukee at Mitchell International Airport as a small crowd waited for his arrival.

"Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a 'shooter,' or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else," Trump said on his Truth Social account.Some filmed or photographed the plane landing on their phones. Onlookers in four cars waited for the former president’s arrival, some standing outside their cars and looking up at the sky.

− David Jackson, USA TODAY; Claire Reed, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Victims of rally shooting identified

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro identified the man killed in the shooting at Trump's Butler rally as Corey Comperatore. Shapiro said he spoke with Comperatore’s family, who described him as a father of two girls, a firefighter, a faithful churchgoer, and an avid supporter of the former president.

"Corey died a hero," Shapiro said. "Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally. Corey was the very best of us. May his memory be a blessing." 

Pennsylvania State Police identified the other two attendees who were shot at the rally as state residents David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. Both are hospitalized and listed in stable condition. Shapiro said he spoke with the family of one victim and received a message from the other.

Flags will be flown at half-staff in memory of Compertore, Shapiro said. He added that he spoke with members of Trump’s team and got a call from Biden, whom he lauded for reaching out to Trump.

"All leaders need to take down the temperature and rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists in search of a better, brighter future for this nation," Shapiro said.

− Sheridan Hendrix

Biden keeps NBC interview, cancels trip to Texas

Biden plans to go forward with a Monday afternoon sit-down with NBC host Lester Holt. The interview was previously scheduled for Texas and will now take place in Washington, the White House said Sunday. 

An address Biden was supposed to deliver at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, was postponed following the attempt on Trump's life Saturday. The White House said it will reschedule the visit.

Biden will resume his travel schedule Monday evening. He'll depart Washington for Las Vegas and appear at the NAACP National Convention on Tuesday and the UnidosUS Annual Conference on Wednesday.

− Francesca Chambers

Shooter used AR-style rifle, had 'suspicious device' in car, FBI says

The gunman in Saturday's assassination attempt used an AR-style rifle using 5.56mm ammunition that was purchased legally and found next to Crooks at the scene where he was shot dead, FBI special agent Kevin Rojek told reporters on a call Sunday.

He also said a "suspicious device" was found in Crooks' vehicle and that bomb technicians inspected it and rendered it safe.

"I'm not in a position to provide any expertise on the specific components of any potential bombs or suspicious packages," Rojek said, adding that the device was sent to an FBI lab for further analysis, as was the shooter's cell phone and other evidence as authorities search for a motive.

Rojek also said the gunman appears to have acted alone and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

– Aysha Bagchi

Congressional Democrats to pause fundraising, ads

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will pause its fundraising activities and advertisements, according to a source familiar with the plans, following the assassination attempt on Trump.

The Biden campaign announced Saturday it was pausing all outbound communications and pulled down television ads following the shooting. 

– Rebecca Morin

Neighbors who knew Crooks stunned by the shooting

Jason Kohler attended Bethel Park High School with Crooks and said he sat alone at lunch and was "bullied every day." Kids picked on Crooks for wearing camouflage to class and for his quiet demeanor, said Kohler, 21.Since hearing Crooks was named as the shooter, Kohler has been speaking with classmates who knew him, most of whom are stunned by the news. "It’s really hard to comprehend," he said.

In Bethel Park, Dean Sierka, 52, said he has known Crooks and his parents for years. The neighbors were separated by only a few houses and Sierka’s daughter, Lily, attended elementary, middle, and high school with Crooks. She remembers him as quiet and shy.

Later on, they would see Crooks at least once a week, often walking to work. "You wouldn’t have expected this," Dean Sierka told USA TODAY. "The parents and the family are all really nice people. It’s crazy.”

− Christopher Cann

'Boom, boom, boom, then screams': Neighbors watched from nearby homes

The streets around the Butler fairgrounds were bustling Sunday morning with law enforcement agents blocking entry to the site of the shooting. Pat English told USA TODAY he was at the Saturday rally but left when his grandson got overheated.

"We watched it from my deck," English said, pointing to his backyard bordering the fairgrounds. "I heard a boom, boom, boom, and then screams. I could see people running and the police run in."A few doors down, Lonnie and Kelli Rensel thought they heard fireworks. But then came the screams. "That’s when we knew something was wrong," Kelli Rensel said.Lonnie Rensel, who viewed the rally from his childhood home bordering the grounds, saw a cloud of dust rise from the site.“A stray bullet must have hit the speakers hanging by a lift because they collapsed,” he said.

−Bryce Buyakie

Melania Trump urges Americans to 'ascend above the hate'

Former first lady Melania Trump called on Americans in a statement Sunday to “ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence” after an assassination attempt on her husband.

She thanked the Secret Service agents for protecting the former president and offered her sympathy to the victims were shot at the rally.

“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and (son) Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she wrote in the statement.

The former first lady went on to criticize the “monster” who attempted the assassination, adding that Donald Trump has been labeled “an inhuman political machine.”

Trump called on Americans to transcend politics and emphasized that "love, compassion, kindness and empathy are necessities."

Maps, graphics show how the Trump shooting unfolded

As the investigation into the shooting at Trump’s rally continues, maps, graphics and a timeline by USA TODAY show how the incident unfolded.

At 6:11 p.m., while Trump is speaking, multiple shots are fired toward the stage, and less than a minute later, Secret Service agents jump on top of the former president and escort him off stage. At 6:14 p.m., his motorcade leaves the fairgrounds.

Explore the full timeline and graphics here.

− Sudiksha Kochi

Officials: Trump campaign to tighten security

Top officials at the Donald Trump campaign told staff members that they are re-doubling security measures at their offices in light of Saturday's assassination attempt.

“We are enhancing the armed security presence with 24/7 officers on-site," said a staff memo signed by senior campaign officials Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita. "Additional assessments will be in place. Our highest priority is to keep all of you on this staff safe."

The officials urged employees to stay away from offices in Washington, D.C., and West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday "as we assess both locations."

Wiles and LaCivita also asked campaign employees not to comment on Saturday's shooting. "We condemn all forms of violence," they said, "and will not tolerate dangerous rhetoric on social media."

The memo also said the Republican convention would go on as scheduled.

− David Jackson

Democrats also adjusting security measures

Chicago Alderman Brian Hopkins, chairman of the city’s Public Safety Committee, said the assassination attempt on Trump "will have an impact on everything we do" for securing the upcoming Democratic National Convention in August.

"It’s a reminder that having an effective security plan is not good enough if it’s not executed perfectly," Hopkins said Sunday. "If there’s any vulnerability or weak link, it can be exploited, which clearly played a role in yesterday’s events."

The longtime city council member did not anticipate any concrete changes in plans to protect Biden, since he isn’t expected to speak outside the convention hall. But Hopkins expected adjustments to security measures around the convention hall, where protest groups have sued the city for permission to picket outside.

"They want unfettered access to everything and this is a reminder of why that simply can’t be allowed," he said. "We can’t have radical protest groups who often engage in inflammatory rhetoric, we can’t have them on the sidewalk outside the convention center. It simply isn’t possible."

The Secret Service plans to release the finalized security perimeter for the event on July 25, Hopkins said.

− Michael Loria  

Trump's top finance person launches GoFundMe for rally shooting victims

A high-profile political fundraiser from Florida has launched a "President Trump Authorized" GoFundMe aiming to raise $1 million for those "wounded or killed" in  Saturday's attempt on the former president's life .

Meredith O'Rourke of Tallahassee, also Trump's top finance person, is listed as the organizer of the  online fundraiser , which as of 10 a.m. Sunday listed over $600,000 in donations, including $50,000 from musician Kid Rock, a major Trump backer.

Other top donations so far include $30,000 from former Republican challenger Vivek Ramaswamy and $25,000 from investor and entrepreneur John Shahidi, a Southern California native behind several companies, among them  Shots Studios ,  described  as "an entertainment company that uses data to create the next digital stars."

Also donating were conservative commentator Ben Shapiro ($15,000),  Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson  ($10,000) and Trump's daughter Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner ($10,000).

− Jim Rosica

What we know about the weapon used by the shooter

Joseph Price, special agent in charge of the ATF in Pittsburgh, said the rifle Crooks used "was nothing special.''Price said investigators are still determining how many shots the gunman fired. − Stephanie Warsmith 

White House says Biden call with Trump 'respectful'

The president spoke with Trump on Saturday night after Trump was targeted by a sniper at a rally in Pennsylvania

Biden told reporters when he initially tried to call Trump, the former president was with his doctors. A White House official said later Saturday that Biden had spoken with Trump, Shapiro and Bob Dandoy, the mayor of Butler.

Biden’s phone call Saturday night with Trump was "good, respectful and brief," according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity saying it was a private discussion.

– Michael Collins and Joey Garrison

Secret Service pushed Trump to the stage, eyewitness says

Erin Autenreith, who sat in the middle of the front row at Trump’s rally, said on the TODAY show Sunday that she heard “pop, pop, pop” sounds and watched as Secret Service men quickly pushed the former president down on stage for a couple of minutes.

“They started saying ‘Clear right, clear left. OK on three stand him up.’ So one, two, three - they stood him up. He was facing me and his eyes were bright. I knew that he was OK. But there was a little bit of blood coming,” Autenreith said.

She said the interesting part was that “nobody in that first row even took cover. It seemed everybody was just - wanted to protect the president and I think we all knew that that's what the shooter was after.”

−Sudiksha Kochi

Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson says nephew injured at Trump rally

Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, said Saturday on X, formerly Twitter, that his nephew was among those injured at Trump’s rally in Butler.

“My family was sitting in the front, near where the President was speaking. They heard shots ringing out — my nephew then realized he had blood on his neck and something had grazed and cut his neck,” he wrote.

On Fox News Saturday, Jackson told host Sean Hannity that a bullet had grazed his nephew’s neck. He noted on X that his nephew is doing well and that his injury was not serious. 

“He was treated by the providers in the medical tent. Thank you to all those that have reached out to check on him,” Jackson wrote.

Trump urges supporters to 'stay united'

Trump told supporters Sunday that he would still attend this week's Republican convention in Milwaukee. The shooting will almost certainly lead to a drastic ramp-up in security for the more than 50,000 GOP politicians, delegates, and media personnel expected to flow into Milwaukee for the convention over the next 36 hours.

"Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening," Trump said in an early morning post on Truth Social.

Trump added that "we will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness." Urging people to stay united and to "show our True Character as Americans," Trump said:  "I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin."

− David Jackson, Sarah D. Wire, Sam Woodward, and Alison Dirr

No word on shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks' motive

Little is known about Crooks beyond the fact that he lived in a home with his parents in Bethel Park.

Crooks was 20 years old, registered as a Republican, and had an active voting status, meaning he had voted in recent elections. He appears to have attended Bethel Park High School, graduating in 2022.

Crooks carried no identification and his body had to be identified using other techniques, said Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge, at the late-night news conference in Butler. The methods included DNA and biometric confirmation, Rojek said.

Crooks was killed by law enforcement officials moments after opening fire.

Political rally shooter identified: Thomas Matthew Crooks identified as Trump shooter at Pennsylvania political rally

'It feels like something out of a movie'

The streets surrounding Crooks’ home were swarming with reporters and curious locals who ventured out to get a look at the scene and sizable police presence early Sunday morning. The home sits along a winding suburban road in Bethel Park, about 42 miles south of Butler.

Cathy Caplan, 45, extended her morning walk about a quarter mile to glimpse what was happening outside Crooks’ home.“It came on the morning news and I was like ‘I know that street,’” she said.The local school district employee said she was “still in disbelief” about the shooting and that “it feels like something out of a movie.”

Wes Morgan and his four children were at Panera Bread on Sunday morning when he found out he lived within a mile of Crooks. After breakfast, Morgan and the kids, ages 6-9, parked among dozens of reporters and other residents and walked up to the police perimeter, around the corner from Crooks’ home.It was rare in this sleepy suburb of Bethel Park to have any sustained and visible police presence, he said. The 42-year-old said he hopes the investigation progresses smoothly so the neighborhood can return to normal“We’ve never had anything even close to this before,” Morgan said. “We ride bikes down this road all the time, and to see this today … it’s just a shame.”

'It's insanity that anyone would do this'

Around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, dozens of law enforcement vehicles were stationed outside Crooks' residence listed on his voter registration record. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were on the scene and a bomb squad was at the residence.

Neighbors standing outside the home where the gunman lived said they were in disbelief. Dan Maloney, 30, said he saw the shooter’s name on social media and then discovered he lived down the road.

“It’s insanity that anyone would do this,” Maloney said, adding that he at one point had planned on attending the rally.

Crooks is registered to vote as a Republican in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, according to county voter records. His voter registration status has been active since 2021.

Scott Graham, who lives in the Bethel Park neighborhood, was riding his bike Sunday morning. He said he doesn’t know the shooter but was shaken by the incident. “It hits so close to home. I had two kids who graduated from Bethel Park High School. My kids graduated in 2016 and 2018.”

− Christopher Cann, Aysha Bagchi , Andrew Dolph

How the chaotic scene erupted: Video captures moment when Trump reportedly shot on stage at rally

Attack harkens back to dark years of violence

The most recent attempt on a presidential candidate was on March 30, 1981, when Republican President Ronald Reagan was shot by  John Hinckley Jr.  after a speaking engagement just two months after taking office. The then 70-year-old was seriously injured and underwent emergency surgery before being released after almost two weeks in the hospital.

Reagan suffered a punctured lung, a broken rib, and internal bleeding.

On June 5, 1968, the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy, Senator  Robert F. Kennedy , D-N.Y., was shot and killed by a Palestinian activist for his support of Israel during the Israeli-Arab conflict. Kennedy was campaigning in California for the presidency and lived just one day after being hit twice, once in the neck and the armpit. He was 42.

President John F. Kennedy  was riding in a motorcade with First Lady Jackie Kennedy in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, when he was shot in the neck and head by Lee Harvey Oswald. The 46-year-old had yet to announce his re-election campaign and was riding with then-Texas Democratic Gov. John Connally, who also was shot.

Kennedy was pronounced dead and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th president.

−Elizabeth Weise

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Ielts essay sample 1113 - reducing the working week to 35 hours, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, some people opine that increasing office hour is a reason for many social and personal problems and that is why it should be reduced to 35 hours in a week. what are the advantages and disadvantages of reducing the working week to 35 hours.

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many people work long hours . leaving very little time for leisure activities. Does this situation have more advantages or more disadvantages ?

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• work-life balance
• mental well-being
• stress relief
• productivity
• economic growth
• career progression
• skill enhancement
• quality time
• financial security
• leisure activities
• physical health
• personal relationships
• stress-related illnesses
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You are having a party and want to invite your friend from a different city. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: • Describe why you are having the party • Give directions on how to get to the venue • Suggest how you can accommodate him/her

Nowadays, there is more and more competition for getting into university is this a positive or negative development, in recent years, there has been growing interest in the relationship between equality and personal achievement. some people believe that individuals can achieve more in egalitarian societies. others believe that high levels of personal achievement are possible only if individuals are free to succeed or fail according to their individual merits., you will be celebrating your son's 6 th birthday next week. you want to invite one of your colleagues to attend the birthday party. write an invitation letter to this colleague. in your letter: ● invite your colleague to your son's birthday party ● give details of the party and it's date and time ● say how happy you and your family would be to have him/her at the party, many social media accounts are fake what problems does this cause what solutions can you suggest.