Would People Be Happier If They Worked Only 4 Days A Week?
Image Credit: Darrell Gulin
Last week I worked four days. It was a good experience. Before I knew it, it was the weekend again.
I got out and did some fun activities with friends. I noticed how happy everyone was.
Yes, it is summer and people are generally more happy at this time of the year. But I also observed friends to have more energy.
So, my curious mind got to thinking…
Would people be happier if they only worked 4 days a week?
And I’m not referring to 4 ten hour days. That’s not good. For some people it works, but I know some of these people and when I see them, they look TIRED.
Would people be happier if they worked 4 eight hour days each week? That would mean a full time work week would be only 32 hours.
Before you get all excited and say “HELL YES” take a moment to think about it…
- You would have more time.
- You would work less.
Sounds so simple, right? Of course it would make you happier. But did you consider things like:
- You’d still feel similar about the work you do (and most people don’t like their work.)
- More time to yourself more than likely means less money in your pocket.
Or does it?
Join me on a ride in pure imagination for a moment…
Pretend that each of us work 4 days a week, we play when we don’t work, but they type of play we do is very recreational. We get outside and actually take the time to smell the roses, do our own gardening, etc. We sit down and talk with our friends- and I do mean talk to them in person.
We simply have more time to “be.”
People would be more clean (more time to do laundry, primp, put lotion on, whatever), you might use your car less, spending less money on gasoline, and your memory just may actually work!
Sounds pretty, doesn’t it?
But would it be reality?
There are a lot of people that say the key to life is balance. For me, “balance” is more attainable and understandable if I did work just 32 hours a week. I wouldn’t mind a mild sacrifice of the luxurious lifestyle I live (yeah right!) in order to feel more present to the things in life I usually take for granted.
What about you?
I like what you are saying here. It would be even better if we didn’t have to work so much. Our most precious resource is time and we often trade so much of it away for a little comfort and security.
I prefer to do freelance work and create passive streams of income. I often read a blog called “Ending The Grind” which talks about people getting out of the 9 to 5 ratrace and living an enjoyable life.
Glad to hear the freelance world is working out for you, Justin. I did freelance for 3 years and had trouble closing sales so now am employed by a small company. The hardest thing about the job is committing my time every week day.
Will have to check out the “Ending the Grind” blog you recommend. Thanks for commenting and communicating.
4 days still isn’t enough for me to be happy. I want to trade all the time I can working for myself upfront so that I can have 5 days off 2 days on…and utilize outsourcing and management skills to my advantage…who would want to work 4 or 5 days a week trading for only 2 or 3 days off? Thats nuts!
Your approach sounds pretty ideal. I’m sure others would like to learn how to do what you are doing with your time. Some people only know the M-F, 9-5 way of working.
I feel we in america work way to much and the result sof it are showing in our culture.Simply working one less day a week can have a very positive out come on families. Cant we just slow down a bit?
I agree. However, when someone tells you to “stop and smell the roses” do you have a negative reaction? It’s weird. We do need to slow down here in America but I often think that we just don’t know how to do it.
Wouldn’t it be great? Once I’ve read that the most effective workers are those who are not stressed from work. We can achieve many things even if we work 4 days a week if our body and mind is more relax. So Rest is a must to the work force. Great idea!
Thanks for the comment. Many people ask themselves the question, “Is it really work if I’m relaxed and rested?” which is sad because the assumption is that work is supposed to be difficult and stressful.
It is interesting thought. Maybe people could be able to be more close to their family and they could develop new hobby if there will be four working days. On the second thought, the productivity of their work would be lessen and their salary rate would also decrease if that will be the case. Thanks for the interesting post.
Yes, salaries would decrease. But would people care? They would have more time to do things like take walks, hobbies, and/or other things that don’t cost that much money.
well id the salary increase and make 2 days a week it would be nice,but if the salary decrease it’s better to work 5 days a week now a days life so hard need to work and work,taxes way up.and i don’t think our mind get relax if we have so many worries about bills.thanks for sharing.
The point was that if we worked less, we would do things that didn’t require as much money to do. Sure, taxes are high. They always will be. However, working five days a week takes away a lot of free time to do things like take half day or day hikes, camp, and other very affordable recreational activities.
I really appreciate your thoughts buddy,and i am almost living like that because i know little bit about how to create a passive income and i am doing so.Time is a main treasure and a real money man,i never favor to trade my valuable time for getting some free time.i wanna say here that do something as much great to cut down your indentured time and then you will see the magic that available time is converting into the free time.Build a system and let it works for you,then i am sure everyone can enjoy these exciting imaginations.
Thank you and God Bles
So how many times have you read “the 4 hour work week?”
A well rested man do a lot of efficient and effective works. There is much to achieve if it will push through in a company and also a company can save as much electricity and manpower to a 4 day work.
Interesting perspective on the company saving on energy costs. That helps too.
Working for 4 days isn’t such a bad thing at all… more time, less work, as simple as that. But for me, before i try this one in reality, i would make sure that the money i will earn from that 4 days of work can sustain my needs. Surely having more time to socialize with my friends is a fun thing to do, but it would be best if i have high salary too.
Sure thing, Abby. If you make enough money, why work more? Right?
This is interesting. I’m quite a workaholic but i need money and not doing anything is just killing me. I understand your point of you though. Helps me in some ways.
Maria, thanks for sharing. By being a workaholic, do you mean that you must always be “doing” something? Or doing something specifically related to the work you do? There is a difference that many people miss. I too prefer to always be doing something. My body likes to move. My mind likes to test its intelligence. However, I find more fulfillment in life when I do a variety of things work or personal related.
I always dream about my work…I really don’t know why…All I think is maybe because I am very dedicated to it…I have fears also that i may fail my responsibilities…
Cher, I just had a dream about work last night (it was a funny one!) Maybe you dream about work all the time because you really care about how well you do in your profession. What do you think?
Following a 6days a week routine work, our company decided to make it 5 days a week to economize on the electricity and additional day pay up. The higher level observe that everything can be achieved if everybody is moving and better yet,the work force are always high on their knees because they are much less burn out with working for almost 6days a week, well about the 4 days work I think it cannot suffice for a better living for the workers, just make it 5. It would be better.
Sounds like your company is paying a lot of attention to how its employees work more efficiently. That’s always a good thing.
Hey i did the same if i have deadline even i sleep i still dream how to finish my work and when i am awake i have idea how to finish it, i don’t think so 4 days work can sustain my needs, will the company would be happy they save bit of electricity but how about the worker they can buy what they want?
Heck yes!!! I am currently working four days and spending more time with my family. I think it would create a better economy and people would be happier overall if this were more common. Look at a lot of European countries, instead of a four day work week they take a couple hour siesta during the day to break the monotony.
That’s great you’re already doing this. I’d bet it works out well with the time schedules of your family.
I agree with the 4 day work in a week at least i have more time with y family and have a time for my self too.I always think about having an effective 4 days work a week and i dream last night company are going to pay much than a normal yet they save some electricity.lol!
Working 4 days a week would make most people happiers, since most people don’t have enough time to spend on their hobbies/friends/etc.. On the other hand there are tons of people who love their work, and just would be bored working less, or watching television branlessly(if thats a word ;D).
So true, Alice. Some people really do love their work and don’t see themselves doing anything else.
I always think it’s ironic that people working a job want more time off and those out of work would give anything to have a job and put in the hours! I guess it’s all about paying the bills and how we earn the income to do that. If we all had the option to work a four day week, I think we’d get used to that and after a while the same people who were unhappy with a four day work week would still be unhappy….and the happy people would be more happy! Reid, I love your post because it leads me to the deeper question I ask myself which is “what makes me happy?” Will have to think on that and get back to you!