3 ms·

Why we should abolish the weekend – and take our days off whenever we like

17 points by protomyth 10y ago

stuaxo 10y ago
We should have to work far less days, all of the efficiency gains have gone to the top.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
deprave 10y ago
I wish that were possible for everyone. Unfortunately that creates uncertainty in when people are available, which in many cases makes coordination difficult and working on projects slower. And, you know, since studies have shown that uncertainty of pain is worse than inevitability of pain (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160329/ncomms10996/full/ncomms10996.html http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160329/ncomms10996/full/nc...), perhaps five-two is the least worst option, after all. ;)
- IlPeach 10y ago
  That. I still prefer the idea of 4/7 working days
khedoros 10y ago
> What is a weekend? Whatever you need it to be. I need it to be a time, not too far apart, and regularly occurring, when I can have a fair certainty that friends and/or family will be available for activities together. As a knowledge worker, it's easy for my work to bleed into my leisure time, and it's already hard enough to fight when I've got well-defined personal time. I feel like abolishing the weekend would be a bad idea for the same reasons that "unlimited vacation" policies are bad ideas.
- Damogran6 10y ago
  Agreed. The problem with comp time and swing/night shifts have to do with the inability to have time with the REST of your friends/relatives. Sure, an occasional Tuesday after a nasty weekend is nice, but I wouldn't want to make a habit of it.
maxxxxx 10y ago
There is something healthy about having a rhythm in your life. I hope no company adopts an "unlimited time off" policy. Take off whenever you want but obviously only when your project allows for it.
xg15 10y ago
I'm not sure what exactly is the alternative plan the author proposes with "Take days off spontaneously whenever you feel like it". So basically just grant additional vacation days in exchange for the former weekend-days? (and maybe streamline the process to request days off) This sounds like a recipe for the same psychological mechanisms and incentives of self-exploitation that are at play in "unlimited vacation" places: "Sure you can take a day off... but do you really want to let down your team in this critical phase of the project"? Except now there you have literally no resting time unless you make the conscious effort to ask your supervisor for it (or invoke whatever other process is in place). Your supervisor doesn't like you? You want to do things that your current employer shouldn't know about yet? (e.g. applying somewhere else) Though luck!

17 points by protomyth 10y ago

stuaxo 10y ago

We should have to work far less days, all of the efficiency gains have gone to the top.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

deprave 10y ago

I wish that were possible for everyone. Unfortunately that creates uncertainty in when people are available, which in many cases makes coordination difficult and working on projects slower. And, you know, since studies have shown that uncertainty of pain is worse than inevitability of pain (http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160329/ncomms10996/full/ncomms10996.html http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160329/ncomms10996/full/nc...), perhaps five-two is the least worst option, after all. ;)

IlPeach 10y ago
That. I still prefer the idea of 4/7 working days

khedoros 10y ago

> What is a weekend? Whatever you need it to be. I need it to be a time, not too far apart, and regularly occurring, when I can have a fair certainty that friends and/or family will be available for activities together. As a knowledge worker, it's easy for my work to bleed into my leisure time, and it's already hard enough to fight when I've got well-defined personal time. I feel like abolishing the weekend would be a bad idea for the same reasons that "unlimited vacation" policies are bad ideas.

Damogran6 10y ago
Agreed. The problem with comp time and swing/night shifts have to do with the inability to have time with the REST of your friends/relatives. Sure, an occasional Tuesday after a nasty weekend is nice, but I wouldn't want to make a habit of it.

maxxxxx 10y ago

There is something healthy about having a rhythm in your life. I hope no company adopts an "unlimited time off" policy. Take off whenever you want but obviously only when your project allows for it.

xg15 10y ago

I'm not sure what exactly is the alternative plan the author proposes with "Take days off spontaneously whenever you feel like it". So basically just grant additional vacation days in exchange for the former weekend-days? (and maybe streamline the process to request days off) This sounds like a recipe for the same psychological mechanisms and incentives of self-exploitation that are at play in "unlimited vacation" places: "Sure you can take a day off... but do you really want to let down your team in this critical phase of the project"? Except now there you have literally no resting time unless you make the conscious effort to ask your supervisor for it (or invoke whatever other process is in place). Your supervisor doesn't like you? You want to do things that your current employer shouldn't know about yet? (e.g. applying somewhere else) Though luck!