This is the weekend edition of Culture Study — the newsletter from Anne Helen Petersen, which you can read about here. If you like it and want more like it in your inbox, consider subscribing. If you’re a “full-time” employee, your work week is likely five days (if not more), and spans 40 hours (if not more). You might be paid by the hour, or you might be on salary, but you probably have two days “officially” off every week (although work might slide into those days) and they probably land on Saturday and Sunday.
I would love a 4 day work week and cherish that extra time with my young daughter and with my husband and other family and friends! When she is older and in school, I'd love the extra day to finally write a book about the history of Baltimore transportation!
Something that doesn't come up in these discussions and really should is how many people use work as their escape from the rest of their life rather than work as the thing they have to do in order to enjoy the rest of their life. They don't want to spend extra time with their families because they are crazy and often dysfunctional. Their co-workers are their close friends. Hobbies are fine but they find the most purpose in their work and getting paid for it.
This is something I cannot relate to at all! I wish we could have a more flexible mentality in general about work and rest and play. I won't demonize people who want to work long hours if they won't demonize me for not wanting to do so.
I currently work what is known as an alternative work schedule--9-hour days, one 8-hour day, and an extra day off per a two-week pay period. (I could work 10 hour days and get both Fridays off and have considered it). It's not quite a four-day work week since I work the extra hours, but having that extra Friday off is a life-saver.
I use that Friday to catch up on errands, clean my house, declutter, random tasks I've been putting off, AND I usually have time to chill, read, grab lunch with a friend, whatever. It's great.
I also absolutely believe that I could get all my work done in four 8-hour days though. I'm lucky--I work for a federal agency in an office that values work-life balance, so I can log off at 5 p.m. or so and I'm done. I also don't feel pressure to check in on my days off or during vacation.
I’m also curious about what’s happened in Iceland with schools and school-aged kids (and younger). I’ve seen resistance to the idea of a shorter work week from parents of young kids who worry that it will mean fewer days of childcare.
I’m curious if the 4-day work week typically comes with an increase in hours on the working days, or if it really is full day off (the Icelandic study quoted 35-36 hours over 4 days, where one might have expected to see 32 hours).
I would love a 4 day work week and cherish that extra time with my young daughter and with my husband and other family and friends! When she is older and in school, I'd love the extra day to finally write a book about the history of Baltimore transportation!
Something that doesn't come up in these discussions and really should is how many people use work as their escape from the rest of their life rather than work as the thing they have to do in order to enjoy the rest of their life. They don't want to spend extra time with their families because they are crazy and often dysfunctional. Their co-workers are their close friends. Hobbies are fine but they find the most purpose in their work and getting paid for it.
This is something I cannot relate to at all! I wish we could have a more flexible mentality in general about work and rest and play. I won't demonize people who want to work long hours if they won't demonize me for not wanting to do so.
I currently work what is known as an alternative work schedule--9-hour days, one 8-hour day, and an extra day off per a two-week pay period. (I could work 10 hour days and get both Fridays off and have considered it). It's not quite a four-day work week since I work the extra hours, but having that extra Friday off is a life-saver.
I use that Friday to catch up on errands, clean my house, declutter, random tasks I've been putting off, AND I usually have time to chill, read, grab lunch with a friend, whatever. It's great.
I also absolutely believe that I could get all my work done in four 8-hour days though. I'm lucky--I work for a federal agency in an office that values work-life balance, so I can log off at 5 p.m. or so and I'm done. I also don't feel pressure to check in on my days off or during vacation.
I’m also curious about what’s happened in Iceland with schools and school-aged kids (and younger). I’ve seen resistance to the idea of a shorter work week from parents of young kids who worry that it will mean fewer days of childcare.
I’m curious if the 4-day work week typically comes with an increase in hours on the working days, or if it really is full day off (the Icelandic study quoted 35-36 hours over 4 days, where one might have expected to see 32 hours).