How To Meaningfully Spend Your Extra Day With A 4-Day Work Week

The 4-Day Work Week (4DWW) is gaining momentum, with 4DWW trials happening around the world. Results from these trials paint a bright picture of what’s in store for the future of work, and the evidence of the benefits of this compressed work week are hard to ignore.

Documented Benefits

After participating in 4DWW trials, employees report feeling less stressed, reduced burnout, greater work-life satisfaction and lesser conflict, increased time exercising, to name a few health and wellbeing outcomes. In a recent trial of 26 companies (with over 700 employees) conducted by Boston College and 4 Day Week Global, 65% of participants reported greater satisfaction with how they were able to spend their time, with an average of 20 extra minutes per week spent on exercise. Almost 40% noticed feeling less fatigued and 35% said they had fewer problems sleeping.

The data revealed positives for companies, too, including reductions in employee resignations and sick days used with a 44% decline in the number of personal days requested per employee per month of the trial. Productivity rose, with 54% of workers reporting being highly productive, which was benchmarked against their lifetime best.

Even the environment benefited, with data from this trial showing a 36 minute per week mean reduction in commuting time. With extra time in their lives, 42% of participants chose to spend more time focused on pro-environmental activities, such as sourcing and buying eco-friendly items.

Maximizing Your Benefits

With a whole extra day in your week, how would you spend it? You won’t have to worry about pinching pennies, as your take-home salary won’t be affected.

MORE FOR YOU
Apple’s Update Decision—Bad News Confirmed For Millions Of iPhone Users
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Thursday, September 19th
‘Agatha All Along’ 2-Part Series Premiere Review: I Am Cautiously Optimistic

In the 100:80:100 model, the most common used in trials, employees continue to be paid 100% of their salary while working 80% of full time (or 4 out of 5 days) and are expected to maintain productivity by delivering 100% of their assigned tasks or outcomes.

Imagine what an ideal work-life balance would be for you and how you can achieve it. Here are three ways you might consider allocating your time to make the most of a 4DWW.

Enrich Your Relationships

If you feel like you haven’t spent enough quality time with your loved ones, turn those feelings of guilt into action. Plan a camping trip, volunteer at your kid’s school, schedule a date night, or do something kind for your parents. Often we feel that we can’t make time to meaningfully connect, because it requires a big commitment - it’s never just an hour. Working less means freeing up time for living.

For parents, the 4DWW could allow for a more equitable distribution of paid labor and care. If everyone worked four days, care and domestic chores could be more evenly split, there would be less of a need for one parent to work part-time, women could have more choices in returning to work, and fathers wouldn’t miss out on so much of their children’s lives.

Find your voice and presence in your community. During the pandemic, many realized the importance of community. Some felt the loss of a sense of community, while, conversely, others found it (either virtually or more locally). Commuting less to work allows for more connecting with the locals around you who may also care about and enjoy building up the place where you planted your life.

Do Something For Yourself

Whether you want to be a more ethical consumer, revive your garden, read the classics, or learn to fly a plane, we often put ourselves last when things are busy.

You don’t have to spend your extra day resting on the couch, you can still get that dopamine hit by tackling your at home to do list, like repairing a hole in the wall from the doorknob (again). Imagine the satisfaction you would feel from knocking those things off your list.

Saving Money

By doing your own handy-work and the other things you outsource, like domestic cleaning, lawn maintenance, dog walking, etc., you could save up some money that could go into a vacation or fewer years to pay off your mortgage.

Finding Fulfillment Across All That You Do

However you spend your extra day, make it something you find fulfilling. That’s when you really get to experience the benefits. Spending time with loved ones, in the community, or on self-care will all reduce stress and anxiety. Employees who come to work calm and focused will continue to be productive, despite the reduced number of working days. While there are, of course, challenges to implementing the 4DWW, isn’t it worth at least considering?