How Many Hours Per Week Should We Work?
If the prime minister of Finland has her way, the 40-hour work week could be cut down to a 24-hour work week. Sanna Marin has proposed that her fellow Finns work four days a week at no more than six hours per day. The world’s youngest prime minister says, “People deserve to spend more time with their families, loved ones, hobbies and other aspects of life, such as culture.”
The 34-year-old mother of one makes a good point. Too many of us spend a disproportionate amount of time with our jobs. A life well lived should be a balanced one.
Shortening the work week could also be beneficial for employers. A Swedish study from 2015 showed that a six-hour workday boosted productivity, happiness, and wealth among employees. And when Microsoft tried a four-day work week in Japan last summer, they saw productivity jump nearly 40 percent.
What do you think? Should the U.S. get rid of the standard 9-to-5 grind? What would you do with more personal time?