5 ms·

10 hours really seems extreme. I am certain that the vast majority of office workers could produce the same level of output at a 4x9 schedule as they do in a 5x

10 hours really seems extreme. I am certain that the vast majority of office workers could produce the same level of output at a 4x9 schedule as they do in a 5x8 or would in a 4x10. And most would be profoundly happier people.

burnte 7y ago
The vast majority of people I know who can do four 10s love it, and find the 10 hour days aren't really much different then the 8s. I'd love it if I could do four 10s, but in a company that does 24/7 healthcare, that's not an option for support staff like IT, not even at my level.
- kody 7y ago
  Yeah, in my experience the difference between 8 and 10 hour workdays were negligible (except certain times of year where I'd get to my desk before sunrise and leave well after sunset). Anything I'd do with my "extra" 2 hours per day I'd happily batch into my free Friday.
  - davidjtighe 7y ago
    I completely see where you're coming from, but having kids changes the calculus completely.
    - kody 7y ago
      Great point. I hadn’t considered that at all.
    - burnte 7y ago
      Not necessarily. Most folks have kids, most folks I know that prefer four 10s have kids, and like having that fifth day off.
      - duderific 7y ago
        I barely see/interact with my kids on an 8 hour day. On a 10 hour day, I'd probably miss them completely. I would like one day a week when I'm not working OR looking after the kids, however. That would be amazing. It would be great to give it a try and see how it worked out. Unfortunately my employer is a hardass and doesn't even allow work from home, let alone fewer days a week.
      - bcrosby95 7y ago
        Young kids need 10-12 hours of sleep. 10 hours working, plus 1 hour lunch, and a 30 minute each way commute means your kids likely should literally be sleeping the whole time you're at home during a work day. I don't know any parents that do that - literally never interact with their kids 4 days out of the week. What actually happens is parents sacrifice their kids' sleep schedule.
  - notJim 7y ago
    I do find there's a lot of benefit to flexibility though. If I'm in the zone at the end of day, and don't have anything else to do that night, I'll often work an extra ~2 hours (or until I feel like I've lost it.) But on the flip side, I will also leave early on a night where I have a lot to do outside work.
- alistairSH 7y ago
  The issue with 4x10s is those days are exhausting - they leave me with no energy to do anything else that day. At least with 5x8, most days I can get out for a bike ride after work, or take my dog for a long walk. 10 hours? It doesn't happen, I go home and flop on the sofa.
  - burnte 7y ago
    Right, but that's you, lots of other folks like them, so we should have the choice.
    - blub 7y ago
      There's nothing magical about other folks. They either have lots of slack time during the 10 hour days or their jobs aren't really that challenging.
      - balfirevic 7y ago
        Why would there be no folks that simply have higher mental endurance? There are large differences between people regarding their strength, physical endurance and intelligence. Why not mental endurance?
kody 7y ago
Oh for sure. I'd bet that people working 4x9s or even 4x8s are equally/more productive as 4x10s and 5x8s and are happier. But if I'm choosing between 4x10 and 5x8 I'd take 4x10 any day.
techslave 7y ago
really? HN crowd is talking about 10 hr days as “exhausting” ? i can’t remember the last time i worked less than 5x10.
- kody 7y ago
  By choice?
- standardUser 7y ago
  To me, the idea of consistently working more than 50 hours/week is only something I would do if I desperately needed the money and couldn't find a better way to support myself. I hope to never be in that situation. I understand working like crazy for things like starting a company/grad school/career change, but those things all last a limited time and come to an end.
  - velosol 7y ago
    I wonder if there is a disconnect for people who were brought up in butts-in-seats culture who then count presence at work for 10 hours as work despite possibly turning in 50-60% of that time producing something of value. Then you have others who are more used to billable time or flex work or similar where they view that 5-6 hours (+ breaks and food) as an '8 hour' day and the two can't understand how the other manages. Lucky is the person who can throw themselves at problems 10+ hours a day and look forward to going back to it the next day, I guess. I can easily and happily do that in the 6-8 range and feel proud of the previous day's work and be ready to do it again the next day.

burnte 7y ago

The vast majority of people I know who can do four 10s love it, and find the 10 hour days aren't really much different then the 8s. I'd love it if I could do four 10s, but in a company that does 24/7 healthcare, that's not an option for support staff like IT, not even at my level.

kody 7y ago
Yeah, in my experience the difference between 8 and 10 hour workdays were negligible (except certain times of year where I'd get to my desk before sunrise and leave well after sunset). Anything I'd do with my "extra" 2 hours per day I'd happily batch into my free Friday.
- davidjtighe 7y ago
  I completely see where you're coming from, but having kids changes the calculus completely.
  - kody 7y ago
    Great point. I hadn’t considered that at all.
  - burnte 7y ago
    Not necessarily. Most folks have kids, most folks I know that prefer four 10s have kids, and like having that fifth day off.
    - duderific 7y ago
      I barely see/interact with my kids on an 8 hour day. On a 10 hour day, I'd probably miss them completely. I would like one day a week when I'm not working OR looking after the kids, however. That would be amazing. It would be great to give it a try and see how it worked out. Unfortunately my employer is a hardass and doesn't even allow work from home, let alone fewer days a week.
    - bcrosby95 7y ago
      Young kids need 10-12 hours of sleep. 10 hours working, plus 1 hour lunch, and a 30 minute each way commute means your kids likely should literally be sleeping the whole time you're at home during a work day. I don't know any parents that do that - literally never interact with their kids 4 days out of the week. What actually happens is parents sacrifice their kids' sleep schedule.
- notJim 7y ago
  I do find there's a lot of benefit to flexibility though. If I'm in the zone at the end of day, and don't have anything else to do that night, I'll often work an extra ~2 hours (or until I feel like I've lost it.) But on the flip side, I will also leave early on a night where I have a lot to do outside work.
alistairSH 7y ago
The issue with 4x10s is those days are exhausting - they leave me with no energy to do anything else that day. At least with 5x8, most days I can get out for a bike ride after work, or take my dog for a long walk. 10 hours? It doesn't happen, I go home and flop on the sofa.
- burnte 7y ago
  Right, but that's you, lots of other folks like them, so we should have the choice.
  - blub 7y ago
    There's nothing magical about other folks. They either have lots of slack time during the 10 hour days or their jobs aren't really that challenging.
    - balfirevic 7y ago
      Why would there be no folks that simply have higher mental endurance? There are large differences between people regarding their strength, physical endurance and intelligence. Why not mental endurance?

kody 7y ago

Oh for sure. I'd bet that people working 4x9s or even 4x8s are equally/more productive as 4x10s and 5x8s and are happier. But if I'm choosing between 4x10 and 5x8 I'd take 4x10 any day.

techslave 7y ago

really? HN crowd is talking about 10 hr days as “exhausting” ? i can’t remember the last time i worked less than 5x10.

kody 7y ago
By choice?
standardUser 7y ago
To me, the idea of consistently working more than 50 hours/week is only something I would do if I desperately needed the money and couldn't find a better way to support myself. I hope to never be in that situation. I understand working like crazy for things like starting a company/grad school/career change, but those things all last a limited time and come to an end.
- velosol 7y ago
  I wonder if there is a disconnect for people who were brought up in butts-in-seats culture who then count presence at work for 10 hours as work despite possibly turning in 50-60% of that time producing something of value. Then you have others who are more used to billable time or flex work or similar where they view that 5-6 hours (+ breaks and food) as an '8 hour' day and the two can't understand how the other manages. Lucky is the person who can throw themselves at problems 10+ hours a day and look forward to going back to it the next day, I guess. I can easily and happily do that in the 6-8 range and feel proud of the previous day's work and be ready to do it again the next day.