[HN Gopher] Science confirms what we all suspected: Four-day wee...
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       Science confirms what we all suspected: Four-day weeks rule
        
       Author : pseudolus
       Score  : 49 points
       Date   : 2025-07-22 18:17 UTC (4 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.theregister.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.theregister.com)
        
       | ktallett wrote:
       | If Science can make those capitalist bosses accept this as fact,
       | and actually introduce it, that would be a greater achievement.
        
       | vouaobrasil wrote:
       | Darn, it's all rather obvious. Personally, I could never sustain
       | a regimented five-day workweek. That just left Saturday to
       | decompress, and Sunday to be on the edge for going back. There's
       | no time for actual life, especially in North America where people
       | typically get shitty amounts of vacation time. Is that life?
       | 
       | Personally, I'd rather be poor, at least defined by modern
       | economic standards. And I did choose to be. And after having quit
       | my high-paying job, I'm so much happier.
        
         | ericmcer wrote:
         | Seriously my job is relatively relaxed, but I am still losing
         | my mind because it is just an endless stretch of 5 day weeks
         | for... 20 years? The only version of reality where I could
         | accept that is if I had kids and family all dependent on my
         | work, but without that I am unsure how people aren't filled
         | with ennui when they look into that future.
        
           | tayo42 wrote:
           | Working from home makes it more bearable. It feels like I use
           | my free time to make money instead of going to work. It's not
           | like I do hobbies 16 hours a day
           | 
           | I wish the job market was better so I could find a more
           | engaging job.
        
             | vouaobrasil wrote:
             | Yeah, it's tough to find an engaging job that provides a
             | balance because of the insane competition that will only
             | get worse due to the increase in efficiency with AI.
             | Efficiency up to a point implies comfort, and beyond that
             | point implies wage-slavery.
        
           | vouaobrasil wrote:
           | Well, I think that's part of the lock-in. Not kids exactly,
           | but the fact that society has made raising kids over time a
           | hugely expensive activity (whereas once it was not in much
           | earlier times). Because in modern society, having a family
           | means paying for services to keep them functioning
           | (extracurricular activities, romantic vacations for the
           | parents, daycare), and that was encouraged by the system not
           | because it makes us the most happy, but because it is the
           | most efficient for technological innovation.
        
             | Qem wrote:
             | > because it is the most efficient for technological
             | innovation
             | 
             | Probably more efficient for rentism. See
             | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent-seeking
             | 
             | It destroys the very conditions for the next generation of
             | scientists being raised.
        
       | sugarplant wrote:
       | >The study, reported in Nature Human Behaviour, was designed to
       | test the effects of the four-day workweek with no reduction in
       | pay.
       | 
       | >The researchers compared work and health-related indicators -
       | including burnout, job satisfaction, and mental and physical
       | health - before and after the intervention using survey data.
       | 
       | so they surveyed people after having them work less about whether
       | or not they liked working less and getting paid the same? wow
       | thats pretty compelling stuff there. maybe we could see if a 1
       | day work week "RULES" next
        
         | atoav wrote:
         | I work 5 days a week and I like my work. But my feeling is that
         | it is too much. My job is demanding enough thst I can't really
         | do a lot on workdays that isn't work related. On saturday I
         | have to do my private shit (cleaning, other chores) which
         | leaves sunday for my real interest stuff. On Monday I am rarely
         | truly rested.
         | 
         | I am pretty sure that is neither in my, nor my employers
         | interest. Since my work quality goes down if I am fatigued. If
         | things continue like this I am going into a burn out and then
         | good luck to them. A 4-day week would be interesting because
         | then I'd have at least a chance to get rest over the weekend.
        
       | jjk166 wrote:
       | I think one of the main benefits of a four-day workweek is having
       | a regular weekday free, meaning you can easily do errands and
       | things without having to take time off work or cut into the
       | shared time of the traditional weekend where many things are
       | closed and we have so many of our non-work social commitments.
       | Were the four-day workweek to be mass adopted, I would hope we as
       | a society would be smart enough to not all choose the same four
       | days.
        
         | vouaobrasil wrote:
         | Yes, it would not be good if the same four days were selected.
         | The third day should be free-ranging, because then everyone
         | else is out too, which is irritating!
        
       | ChrisArchitect wrote:
       | Earlier on source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44638839
        
       | aeternum wrote:
       | I miss the old definition of science
        
       | RandomBacon wrote:
       | FAA to Air Traffic Controllers: Constant 6 day workweeks it is
       | then. (my opinion, not FAA opinion)
       | 
       | It is cheaper to pay ATC overtime than it is to hire new
       | controllers.
       | 
       | I imagine it would be similar in a lot of other industries.
        
         | justonceokay wrote:
         | This is in large part because of the overhead of providing
         | healthcare for more employees, as it is a fixed per-person cost
         | not related to hours worked.
        
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       (page generated 2025-07-22 23:01 UTC)