'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