Running Out of Time (1994)

This documentary takes a (sometimes light-hearted) look at the growing problems of "time famine" and overwork. The paradox of modern life is that we have more labor-saving devices but less free time. Parents spend less time with kids, spouses spend less time with each other, adults spend less time with their elderly parents. In Japan, karoshi ("death from overwork") is accepted as a valid cause of fatalities among middle-aged men. The history of time pressure is explored, from the leisurely ancient Greek and medieval civilizations, through the invention of the clock and the long working hours of the Industrial Revolution, to American organized-labor demands for an 8-hour work day. Working hours in America are contrasted with those in Europe, where 5-6 weeks of vacation per year are common. Solutions to time pressure are discussed, such as job-sharing, the simple-living movement, and "down-shifting", where money is sacrificed to gain time.