New Mexico Ranks Last in Hardest-Working States in America, Idle Hands Are The Devil’s Workshop

Nicholas Batzig: Most people in the Western world today view a job first and foremost as a means to an end (i.e. a way to get provision for possessions and pleasures). Because the idea of vocation has been lost. People now jump from job to job throughout the course of their lives. If we viewed our work under the rubric of God’s calling, we would be more apt to settle into whatever lawful work God has gifted and called us to do. Wisdom of Work

Got Question states: Newton’s first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to remain in motion, and an object at rest tends to remain at rest. This law applies to people. While some are naturally driven to complete projects, others are apathetic, requiring motivation to overcome inertia. Laziness, a lifestyle for some, is a temptation for all. But the Bible is clear that, because the Lord ordained work for man, laziness is sin. “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise” (Proverbs 6:6). More Here

Proverbs 16:27-29 TLB – Idle hands are the devil’s workshop

Murders and all sorts of evil are rampant here in New Mexico, even teenagers killing each other. Satan “leads many in the world astray”: Albuquerque police arrest 19-year-old girl in connection with the killing of 5-year-old girl. Many children are not growing up with role models, because THEY HAD NO ROLE MODELS! It is generational. Many here have to much time on their hands! Many businesses cannot find enough workers! All of our adult children are working! Sometimes two jobs! Our grandchildren are all under the age of 9. Sharon still works per-diem as a nurse, and I work full-time here at FGGAM. We are both 67!!!!!!! Work is in our blood! State Rep. Jim Townsend, who should have been our governor, told me that just 37% of New Mexicans pay taxes! Yep, Sharon and I and many of you float the boat for most of New Mexico. Over half of New Mexicans are on some type of government assistance, which includes social security. HOW ABOUT LOWERING OUR PROPERTY TAXES GOVERNOR!!!! YOUR KILLING US WITH TAXES! You just got billions from oil and gas! How about rebates to tax payers!!!

My goodness! By the time I was 8, I had two paper routes and many lawns to mow and driveways to shovel snow in the winter! Hard work is my middle name! I am still up around 2am to 3am to start working here at FGGAM! BUT! I may be sleeping in until 5am as times goes on! Ha!

From WalletHub:

With Americans working an average of over 1,800 hours per year and having left 55% of their PTO unused last year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Hardest-Working States in America, as well as expert commentary.

In order to determine where Americans work the hardest, WalletHub compared the 50 states across ten key metrics. The data set ranges from average workweek hours to share of workers with multiple jobs to annual volunteer hours per resident.

Key Stats

• Alaska has the longest hours worked per week, 41, which is 11 percent longer than in Utah, the state with the shortest at 37.
• New York has the longest average commute time, 33 minutes, which is 1.8 times longer than in South Dakota, the state with the shortest at 18 minutes.
• Mississippi has the highest share of workers leaving vacation time unused, 34.70 percent, which is 1.6 times higher than in Ohio, the state with the lowest at 21.90 percent.
• Montana has the highest share of workers with multiple jobs, 8.00 percent, which is 2.4 times higher than in Florida, the state with the lowest at 3.30 percent.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/hardest-working-states-in-america/52400

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to arrange a phone, video or in-studio interview with one of WalletHub’s experts. Feel free to embed this YouTube video summarizing the study on your website. You can also use or edit these raw files as you see fit. Full data sets for specific states are also available upon request.

Best,
Diana Polk
WalletHub Communications Manager
(202) 684-6386

More from WalletHub

• Best Cities for Jobs
• Best & Worst Places to Start a Career
• Best & Worst States for Working Moms
• Best & Worst States for Working Dads

Expert Commentary

What impact do you believe AI will have on the American worker?

“As with any technology, AI will have both labor-replacement and labor-enhancing effects. As AI is developed and deployed in various ways, some existing jobs will certainly be eliminated. However, AI can also enhance labor productivity for other jobs and may even create new types of employment opportunities. Computers changed our labor market in similar ways, reducing the need to employ people for simple computational or administrative tasks, enhancing the productivity of most office workers, and creating entirely new industries that employ a huge portion of our workforce. AI is likely to be just as disruptive, and while it is easy to imagine the jobs it may replace in the future, it is harder to imagine the jobs it will create or enhance. I think our responsibility for the near future is to make the impact as painless and productive as possible. We can do this by making sure, as a country, we take advantage of the new opportunities AI may produce as well as provide re-education opportunities for those workers that are displaced by this new technology.”
Samantha M. Schenck, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Central Connecticut State University

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the most significant threat facing working people today. From the birth of ChatGPT to the next generation of AI tools, including Midjourney, Grammarly, Descript, etc., AI is replacing the work traditionally done by people at a fast pace. There are many areas that AI has already penetrated, such as content generation, video creation, image generation, research, 3D modeling, automation, etc. Skilled workers in these fields face potential threats of being replaced by AI tools, and we have already seen the trend start. The challenges that come with AI also embrace opportunities. With the better help of AI tools, increased efficiency, enhanced decision-making, personalization, and big data analysis and predictive analytics become possible. Therefore, how to utilize AI tools for the best results becomes a critical issue.”
Tongyang Yang, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Widener University

What are the main changes in the job market in 2023 and how will they impact employee engagement?

“I see two main changes in 2023. One is that we can expect employers to demand their employees return to their offices or workplaces, and work from home will decrease. Second, many people will try to return to work since their savings are diminishing and the need for income is increasing. And, so far, we have seen many new entries into the labor market. However, let’s not forget the Fed’s current policies and a potential slowdown in the labor market.”
Miren Ivankovic – Adjunct Professor, Clemson University

“There still seems to be quite a bit of uncertainty around the overall state of the US economy. Some still predict a recession. Some have predicted a ‘soft landing’ post-pandemic to avoid a recession. As Boomers continue to retire and members of the smaller GenX cohort cannot fill jobs requiring more experience, younger generations (GenY and GenZ) will have opportunities to take on more complex jobs at younger ages than previous cohorts. The impact of AI adoption will also force companies to look for different skill sets. For the last 40 years, the US education system has emphasized STEM skills. That focus has created the technologies that will render many technical skills obsolete. What some have derisively called ‘soft skills’ – critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and the like – are now the skills in most demand. These ‘soft skills’ are now the ‘durable skills’ that AI will not replace. That trend will increase over the next few years.”
Anthony R. Wheeler, Ph.D. – Dean, School of Business Administration, Widener University

Do you believe job conditions are on the rise in the U.S.? What measures should authorities undertake in order to better protect workers? 

“Right now, because US unemployment remains historically low despite a year of prognosticators warning of an imminent recession, employers continue to fiercely compete for talent. Workers have seen their negotiation power increase not just on salary but also on working conditions. Better schedules, better work spaces, more flexible work-from-home opportunities, higher signing bonuses, and the like have all increased for American workers. At some point, with the uneven adoption of AI, governments will need to grapple with how to help displaced workers. No one wants to talk about universal basic income, but at some point, we will see governments at all levels experiment with these types of programs. As we currently see with the writers’ strike in Hollywood, the current environment is also ripe for union organization, which can help protect employees.”
Anthony R. Wheeler, Ph.D. – Dean, School of Business Administration, Widener University