A Reddit user wants to know how well others are coping with the 40-hour week.
It turns out that many would like to reduce their working hours.
More and more people want more free time and less work.
A study by the insurer HDI and the opinion research institute YouGov has shown that three out of four respondents would even accept a drop in salary for a four-day week, as
reported by the
Handelsblatt .
Half would switch to part-time if given the opportunity by their employer.
And a study by the University of Cambridge and Boston College even shows that a 4-day work week would increase employee productivity.
Conversely, long working hours and a lot of overtime have a negative effect on employees: According to a study by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, they are often directly related to stress and mental stress on those affected.
It is therefore hardly surprising that the question of whether the 40-hour week is still up-to-date is being asked more and more frequently.
The discussion was recently held again on the Reddit platform.
The user "u/yellowpeanut22" wanted to know from the other users: "How can you cope with the 40-hour week?" The answer: Many cannot.
"I can't": Many users wish for a shorter work week
"Because of depression, I don't have a lot of motivation or energy to do a full-time job without getting deeper into depression.
I really wonder how other people can deal with it," says the questioner on the subject.
It turns out that many users do indeed want shorter working hours - and some have already done so, as the following comments show:
"I can't.
I'm at 32 and never going back."
"My boyfriend and I both cut back to 30 hours last summer and it's amazing how much better quality of life that has brought us.
Whether you finish work at 5 p.m. (with a 1-hour lunch break) or 2 p.m. (because you can skip the break at 6 a.m.) is as different as night and day.”
"Not at all.
I reduced to 30/h 5 years ago and it was one of the best decisions.”
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The 40-hour work week is unnerving for many workers, as a Reddit discussion shows.
© Svetlana Karner/Imago
The majority of users agree that a 40-hour week is difficult to cope with if you also want to have some quality of life.
But for many, the plan to shorten the working week fails because of the money:
"I can't either, but I can't afford a 32-hour week financially."
"I don't really have any energy or motivation either.
It is the choice between this working life with relatively large monetary means for my private life and citizen income without these means.
“Have no motivation or energy, but bills need to be paid.
So must.”
"Good question.
Not at all.
I hate every day, but wife and dog force me to persevere.
Another 30 years and then it will be done.”
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40-hour week: happiness can be increased by a good environment
For some users, however, other factors also play a role in whether they can handle a 40-hour week: good colleagues, a pleasant boss and the option to work from home all ensure that employees are happier with their job and their hours better can process.
For example, one user “changed jobs more often over the years” until he found a job that he enjoys.
This user also draws his strength from good working conditions and a collegial environment: "Flexitime, unlimited home office options and nice colleagues/bosses help me to cope with my 40-hour week."
Don't miss it: You can find everything about careers in the career newsletter of our partner Merkur.de.
Overall, the question of the 40-hour week caused a lot of reactions.
Users have left over 1,000 comments on the topic.
The discussion shows one thing in any case: A good work-life balance is extremely important for job satisfaction – and often also for health.
List of rubrics: © Svetlana Karner/Imago
