The five-day workweek is just a concept

Plus, what you could do with a three-day weekend

View this email online Olivia Fields for NPR Welcome to Friday — you've officially made it! For many of us, it's the last day of the workweek — the last day before those two glorious days we call the weekend. Maybe someone has already wished you a "happy Friday." Maybe you are thinking about what you have to do (or get to do.) Or maybe you're thinking about how nice it would be if you had an extra day to do all the things... The five-day workweek and the corresponding weekend might feel as preordained and immovable as the number of minutes in an hour, but the Monday-to-Friday grind hasn’t always existed. Will Stronge, a U.K.-based researcher and co-author of Overtime: Why We Need a Shorter Working Week, says the 40-hour workweek in the U.S. was fought for and earned by workers less than a century ago.  So many things about the world have changed since then, and Stronge and his coauthor Kyle Lewis argue that a four-day workweek (or a 32-hour workweek with, importantly, no pay loss!) would impact a lot of things. It could improve mental health, productivity, lead to greater gender equality, and maybe even be better for the environment.  "The normal working week doesn't work in many ways. It's just hidden by the fact that we're forced to do it,” says Stronge. Here’s the other thing: being at work for eight hours of the day doesn't mean you're operating at peak productivity for those eight consecutive hours, says Stronge. But that's what the five-day workweek suggests. Meanwhile, workers in all kinds of industries are suffering from burnout and blurred lines between their professional and personal lives. A shorter workweek might seem like a pie-in-the-sky dream, but it already exists! Companies like Microsoft and whole countries like Iceland have adopted shorter workweeks to some pretty impressive results.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message One question we’ve been thinking about since we talked to Stronge is: what would you do with an extra day off? He asks this question to people he works with and often hears that they’d get the pesky life admin that’s usually assigned to Saturday or Sunday out of the way. A lot of people say they’d use it to get in some quality time with friends and family. Stronge says a shorter workweek could also “unlock creativity.” Personally, I love this idea — that with free time, maybe we free up some headspace, too. More time for just… pleasure! Things we like! Things that make us happy!  We asked you what you would do with an extra day and got over 1,000 responses (!!!) Clearly, we’re ready to fill our time with more than just work.  Here are some of our favorite responses:  Make more of my own meals Absolutely nothing  Clean the house Work on creating my own business  Rejoin volunteer organizations I’ve had to leave because I don’t have the time or energy Have a healthier sex life  Actually deal with my mental health  Find another job to pay off debt  Appointments that are only available during workdays and you usually have to request off for  I’d like to draw, but probably Netflix And last but not least, spending time with people you love topped the list. Here are just a few of the folks you’d like to spend more time with: retired and widowed moms, grandpas, four-year-old nephews, granddaughters, toddlers and infants. Happy Friday (;  — Clare Marie, Life Kit producer Thanks for sticking with us! Watch this space for next week's episodes on:     🌏 Climate anxiety | 💡How to learn a new skill | 😴 Kids and sleep You got a dog during the pandemic... Now what? Are you having a tough time training your dog? Tell us what issues you're having — and we may share your concerns with an expert for an upcoming episode. Send us a voice memo to lifekit@npr.org with "Dog training" in the subject line and a producer may reach out to you.   Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy