Wanted: Half-term for adults

A friend on social media recently asked why we can’t have a half-term for adults. It seemed a reasonable question. I think the campaign starts here!?

If you think about it, just a bit, it’s a genius idea. You don’t do it when the kids are off, obviously. That would 100% miss the point. And ruin the idea too. You do it at a time no one expects… mid-September. Or second week of January. No one works. You all just have a lie-in. Maybe work up to a mid afternoon barbecue. Perfect you day-drinking. Or double down on your mudlarking.?

It would be awesome. You’d call up your mates and just agree that everyone would meet in the park after lunch. Maybe some rounders or competitive dog-walking.?

It would be so much fun. It would remind you why you’re alive.?

Here is my pitch for a half-term for grown-ups:

• Kids get them after a few weeks daydreaming in class. Adults show up every day and really have to do stuff.?
• Companies could use the downtime to like clean out the USP ports or cool off the servers.?
• Local retail would benefit from your extra lattes, steak bakes, aquavac, or back-wax purchases.? It’s not like you’re going to go anywhere. The kids are in school, get a grip.?
• We all need less isolation. Covid taught us that. Adult half-term would mean you could plan that trip to North London, to host your book club, to actually help the lady from the Post Office clean out her shed.?
• You’d exercise. You know you would. Half-dressing and watching daytime TV has lost its caché with the pandemic. Even if it was an extra trip to Majestic, you’d get more cardio.?

Ah yes, but what’s in it for bosses?

Good question. And, setting aside the obvious appeal of that USB cleaning thing, there’s actually lots in it for bosses.?

• It is scheduled downtime, that you can plan around. Good for replacing the rat traps, taking an inventory of stationary shrinkage, or taking notes on Succession. Everyone needs a chance to re-charge.?
• Businesses that do offer an adult half-term will find it easier to attract and retain people.
• They’ll save on mental health costs.
• People can pack study breaks or jury duty into this time. It can be like a mini sabbatical.
• Companies will get a power surge of energy and enthusiasm when the adults return.

It’s been proven that taking regular breaks makes workers more productive. Imagine what happens when you power down, recharge the batteries and then flip the on switch again! It’ll be like a blinding flash of goodness.?

Sold??

So, what’s the plan??

How are we going to make it happen??

Let’s take a tried and true stakeholder approach. Who do we need to talk to? Who is best to talk to them? What do we need to say??

We’ll need a programme office. There are a lot of under-employed programme managers, so that won’t be hard. They’ll need to think about:

The public

What opinion leaders can we mobilise to sell the case (see above) for this great ideas? How often can they get it out on all the channels. Recruitment won’t be an issue.

Politicians

In a real kismet moment, we are in an election year in the UK. If ever there was a time to ask for the moon on a stick it is now. And who could refuse? It won’t cost politicians anything… it’s a company initiative. So, call your MP now. Or, if that’s too big an ask, then send a strongly worded passive-aggressive email.?

Business leaders

They’ve worked hard for their ￡￡￡ bonuses. How can they not support a bit of time to smell the roses, or rave on beans, depending on their proclivities and role in Goldman’s hierarchy. After all revenue can be managed like wax. If you build it up before and after Adult Half Term, you can just smooth it out to fill the gap. Right?

Kids

They don't need to even know. It can just appear to be a mystery order-in week, where mum and dad are around more.

Unions

They will show up in time for the Adult Half-Term kick-off. This is too blatantly the kind of madcap idea that unions would be too happy to make central to their existence. But they can’t run it. It would make it all seem wrong. What they can do though it show up as half-term dawns, and organise fancy-dress Park Runs, bottle drives, allotment mixers, library read-ins, MAMIL expresso stops, pensioner group bus safaris, and any other local community event that gets people out and chatting.?

Excited? I know I am. But what can I do??

Start agitating tomorrow. (Today’s a bit soon.) Set up a lunch discussion. Build your case. Make a plan. Change minds. Change lives. Your adult friends and colleagues will thank you. Together we can do this. Our half-term will come.?