Is There Any Escape from the 40-Hour Workweek?

In a recent edition of the New York Times’s Work Friend column, a reader asked whether the 40-hour workweek is still required if one wants to earn a full-time salary. And writer Roxane Gay offered a response which, in summary, was "yep!"

 

Personally, I think Roxane Gay is one of the wisest and most thoughtful writers of our time. And I respect every point of view she’s willing to share. And yet in this instance, I think the question warrants a deeper consideration than is offered here. And I’d love to share my own views today.

 

In 2015, I too felt done with the 40-hour workweek. Or so I thought. I was working full-time as an employee, commuting, raising kids, and I was burned to the core. I had the same question—can I replace my full-time income without the 40-hour workweek?

 

At first, I believed the answer was no, but I ultimately tapped into a better question—“Is the 40-hour workweek actually the problem, or is the problem something different?”

 

And what I learned for myself once I started my business in designing leadership experiences was that it wasn’t the 40-hour week that was plaguing me. More specifically it was: 

• Which 40 hours 
• How I spent those 40 hours 
• The lack of impact I felt from those 40 hours

If you too are struggling with the 40, then give some reflection to what, specifically, is plaguing you. Because I learned some lessons along the way that might inform some changes you can make to make the 40 better fit your lifestyle.

Look at which 40 hours

You’re fed up with the 40-hour week. But maybe the issue is which 40-hours you’re compelled to work. Maybe your issue is you need a window in the middle of the day for you or your kids or a yoga class or a hobby... or just a nap. 

 

As work has gone remote, teams and clients have globalized, and technology has allowed for effective asynchronous communication, there’s no better time than now to reconsider your "when."

 

Can you ask your boss for a flexible schedule that has you working early morning and later afternoon with a break in the middle… or whatever configuration suits your needs? 

 

Be creative. Have a plan (i.e., I’ll use my morning to interact with clients in Asia, and my late afternoon to develop pitches, manage projects, project budgets, etc.). Be clear about how this will serve to keep you engaged while also keeping your team and company goals on track.

Look at how...

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