Million Dollar Idea #4

I had a doctor's appointment the other day and got into a conversation with the receptionist about how rough Mondays are for most people, coming back to work and whatnot. That got us talking about how great three day weekends are and how there should be more of them.

Why not every weekend? Isn't it time to seriously look at the idea of the four-day-a-week, ten-hour-day work week for some people? And not just for the mental health benefits.

By coincidence, I just saw this story: 

     "It's a way to save gas by commuting to work one day less. West Virginia workers are thinking about going to the shorter work week which, obviously, would cut fuel consumption by 20 percent.
   This is not a new idea. It was first broached in 1973 during the first oil crisis --you know, long lines, odd and even days, back when gas wasn't even a dollar a gallon. The idea never caught on but today, several cities in California, Nevada and Arizona are already experimenting with a 4-day work week."

Seeing where the current energy crisis is going and with talk of 200 dollar a barrel oil in our future, isn't it time to take a new look at mixing up the work week? Why do most people need to work their eight hours Monday through Friday anyway? Not just four ten-hour days should be examined for many workers but how about shifting some jobs, or industries, to Wednesday through Sunday? And aren't there many businesses -say, making baseball bats- where the factory could operate 6pm to 2am instead of "regular" business hours? Nine to five is starting to look sooooo 20th Century.    

"We've got to BE Creative...B...E...Creative..."

Comments

[Geo]

An extra day off is great. Saving that 20 percent would only work if those people would stay at home and not run all over town because they have that extra day.

[HeatherMichelle]

My company already offers the 4 day-10 hour work week as well as letting salaried folk work for home a day or two a week. I do not take advantage of either since it is hard enough for me to make it 8 hours here let alone 10. And I try not to work from home if I can help it because that is where my PS3 and Wii are and it is really, really hard to sit at my desk at home and not ditch my laptop in favor of a game.

[Jonas]

Wow, you've finally brought to the forefront an actual interesting topic. I will I have to look into this for more information.

[Vic Rattler]

I suppose a 10-hour workday seems reasonable to a guy who works 5 and a half from home. At about 8 hours I'm ready to kill my self just to go home.

[Ana]

Great blog, Bean!!! And so true, something needs to change!

[Raul]

If people had a 3 day weekend, wouldn't they want to drive somewhere to spend their 3 day weekend somewhere else other than at home?

[Casey]

I was a dental assistant for several years, and pretty much the only thing I miss about it(aside from the very fashionable scrubs)is the four day work week. That was the hardest adjustment I had to make. Working five days a week sucks!

[Manny]

I work at a County office, and work what is called a "flex" schedule. I work 9 hours a day, Mon-Thur and 7 hours that Friday. The next week, I work 9 hours a day Mon-Thur, and I have that following Friday off. So every month I get two, three day weekends. Just so happens my Friday off this month falls on the the 23rd, so I get a suh-weeet four day weekend for the holiday.

[db]

Bean in 2012 ?

[Sketchbook by chris]

A thing to think about.

If you had 4/10 weeks, then wouldn't Monday still suck? Maybe more? You just got off a 3 day weekend, and now you have to go in for 10 freaking hours at a job you hate. How is that better? I am not saying the 4/10 week can't would, I am sure in some industries and areas, it would be just great. But if you hate going to work the day after the weekend, then 4/10 weeks aren't a long-term solution they would just change the problem. Work on the problem, not the symptom of hating Mondays.

[Nick]

The 4-10 (four-ten) schedule is great! I've been doing it for almost 2 years now in LA. And I drive 20miles each way (which is already considered light).

There are a few setbacks on this schedule.
1) Waking up.
2) Longer hours. I work get into work before 6:30am and leave by 5pm. This is offset by not coming in on Friday and sleeping in.
3) Depending on what you do, you may or may not get a lot done in a day.
4) Biggest set back -- coming in for overtime on Friday. The benefit would be that you are paid OT if on an hourly rate instead of a salary.

I don't think I can ever go back to a 5-8 (5days/8hour-day) schedule. Not even the 9-80 schedule (well maybe).

[Eric]

Sorry, but this makes no sense to me.

If we HATE Mondays because we have to come back to work after two days off, think about how much more we will hate Tuesdays; having to spend 10 hours at work (11 with a lunch lour) after having three days off. And, if we have three days off we would be more likely to do more fun things on the weekends (e.g. road trips to Vegas, spend a day in Santa Barbra, drive out to Baker and look at that great big thermometer, drive out to Memphis just to get some great Bar-B-Q [only applies to those of us who live within a 200 mile radius of Memphis], and so forth). That would make us hate going back to work on Tuesdays even more.

And since we will have the extra day off, and would be more tempted to take off on a weekend excursion, we will be burning the gas that we would otherwise be spending on our regular commute. That pretty much shoots down the: “fewer days worked = less gas used” theory.

[Glen Quagmire]

Working a 4/10 week does make sense, but most people are bemoaning coming back in on Tuesday. Only part of the reason would be less gas consumption. I believe that most people would be more relaxed from a longer "weekend". And just because its the weekend, does not mean you have to travel all the time.

Another note: If you really HATE going to work, find a job that you love, or even like a little. Quality of life is not just getting a paycheck. Just think of how much better your life would be if you enjoyed your job. Would you sacrafice a few dollars to be somewhere you enjoyed? I would think yes.

i would then hate Tuesdays.... i can barely stand the 8 hours i am stuck here now, please don't make me stay longer!! It is a cool idea until you really think about it.....

[Liz]

I posted a blog on my Myspace page, maybe about a month or two ago, stating we at the very least, should have nap time at work....a good 20-30 min. i mean everyone says they want one, and i think people could be more productive or at least willing to be there if they were allowed a good nap!!

[jes]

4-10 saves gas because depending on when you commute - you are saving stop and go traffic. I leave the house at 6.50 and get to work at 7.25. If I leave at 7.10 I get in closer to 8.00.

Man oh man - I would love a 4/10 plan.

I think you guys are thinking about a 4/10 week in the wrong way. Instead of working M-T or T-F, why not work MT, TF, giving you your normal 2 day weekend, plus a day in the middle of the week to do anything you'd want to do during the week. You could work it out however you want: MTTF, MTWF, etc.

[Fred G.]

Let's aim for a 4/8 week. I don't think I can sit behind my desk for 10 hours a day! Unless I find more blogs to read during work hours.

[Glen Quagmire]

Sounds like most of you slackers are bitching about working 40 hours a week. Wait until most of you kids get a real job where working a 40 hours means putting in 3 days.

Own your own company, love what you do, then "going to work" has a different meaning.

[dana]

omg i would love 4/10. i would be in a better mood overall having to come in just 4 times a week plus i might actually get some big to-do items tackled if i had 3-day weekends. right now i focus on relaxation and small projects on the weekends. and no, i would not travel every 3-day weekend -- if we're all 40-per-week'ers i suspect we don't have that kind of income to blow on that consistent a basis....

[Stacey]

Eric -
If you want really good BBQ after you're finished in Memphis, try Lexington, NC, the "Barbecue Capital of the World".

[Eleanor]

Hey Bean! I currently work a 4/10 schedule and it's great. I work Monday thru Thursday from 5:00 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon. I do have to get up before 4 in the morning but my commute time is only 11 minutes(very light freeway traffic), from 5:00 to 6:00 I get time 1/2 pay, and since my 8 year old daughter goes to school I get to go to the movies without her and watch what I want. I have been getting 3-day weekends for years, and don't get me started on the 4-day weekends when we have a holiday!!