'Long holidays only make people lazy'

'Long holidays only make people lazy'

The long Idul Fitri holidays are over. Most people have returned
from their hometowns and are gearing up for the first day back at
work on Monday. However, as we are now in December, more holidays
are in the offing for Christmas and New Year. The Jakarta Post
talked to some workers about possible holiday hangovers.

Riries, 30, is a staffer in the secretariat of the House of
Representatives in Senayan, Central Jakarta. She lives with her
husband in Condet, South Jakarta:

Before the long Idul Fitri holidays, we civil servants had
been sent warnings by the Office of the State Minister for
Administrative Reforms saying that we would be punished if we
failed to start working again on Dec. 1. The punishments could
range from postponement of promotion to salary reductions.

These were enough to scare most lazy civil servants.

Besides, all government offices have to spend their remaining
budgets before the deadline on Dec. 15. Therefore, all civil
servants will be very busy putting previously planned programs
into effect.

Personally, I think the long holidays only make people lazy. I
don't like it. Besides, they only delay the completion of the
programs that I had planned for this year.

Heri Siswanto, 32, is a lecturer in a university on Jl. T.B.
Simatupang, South Jakarta. He resides with his wife and daughter
in Ciputat, Tangerang:

The holiday mood will, of course, still be felt on the first
day back at work. But in my experience, I always manage to adapt
quickly to my job again as I make myself as busy as possible so
that I can get back into the groove.

I know that after this long Idul Fitri holiday, we will face
another holiday for Christmas and the New Year. But it doesn't
worry me much.

Ninik, 25, is a staff member in the Human Resources Department
of a printing company in Central Jakarta. She lives with her
friends in a boarding house in South Palmerah, Central Jakarta:

I'm not really looking forward to going back to work tomorrow
(Monday) as I have to get up early in the morning, at 5 a.m., as
our office opens at 7:30 a.m. If I wake up any later than that, I
won't be able to have breakfast.

I'm try to cheer up by reminding myself that it will be nice
to see my friends at work again. I can't wait to share my holiday
experiences with them.

-- The Jakarta Post