Four day week, five day weak!

I’m still enjoying my time away from work and I’m listening to a clip from Radio 4 about whether we are working too much. Within ten seconds the answer was “yes”. The discussion did not stop, and neither can this blog just yet. Where am I going?

There’s a lot of common knowledge that people either ignore or choose to ignore. For example, drink less and do more exercise. But we don’t always have the choice and this is because of the time thieves. Taking a nap in the afternoon is a good idea, and makes us more productive, and yet that is ignored. And finally, it is common knowledge that a four day week will make us more productive. The problem is that 80% of our economy is services and productivity starts to lack any meaning. If someone isn’t working, they’re not earning – for the company.

We all could be better off, not just as people, but as communities. The problem is that there is an individual advantage for putting the hours in and getting ahead. When you’re younger you can burn the candle at both ends, or perhaps you’re older and don’t want to go back to your family. If you snooze, you lose. This is something I can’t go back to.

One of the problems is that a five day week is rarely a 9 to 5. If it was, that wouldn’t be too much of a problem. Just writing this gives me a feeling of anxiety. To begin with I’m imagining 60-90 minutes of commuting which means leaving home at 0730. Then I’d have to be in at 0830 at the latest, and leave around 1730 with a disappointing 30 minute lunch. This is around a 10 to 11 hour day just for a five day week. And don’t forget flexibility!

My position must be a four day week. I can’t afford not to do it. Otherwise, my skills will be running down, and so will I. This is not a good idea in the current climate. Skills are everything, especially those skills that cannot be automated. A new employer won’t give me that training, so I’ll have to do it myself. How that works out will still to be seen.

On the other hand, I could find something that I really want to do, and I’m good at. It might happen!