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This is a great article, and a challenge I believe many professionals would have a very difficult time taking on. As a post-graduate student (of literature, something I love), I can fully identify with the desire to sometimes work more than is strictly required, if not with the ability to give myself a three-day weekend (if only!). Nevertheless, your assessment—dare I say diagnosis—of the problems in attempting to get more done by working longer hours is spot on for any profession.

For me, and among many of my classmates, the temptation of computer toys is nearly endemic, and not only because often-urgent communication comes in the form of e-mail. This seems to be particularly the case for those among us involved in developing “marketable skills” like web design and programming. My most recent solution for ignoring all the distractions my computer regularly offers was to create another user account on my computer (not something everyone can do), with no desktop clutter aside from my Documents folder, and no application shortcuts except those directly related to writing. I know the other programs are still there, but it is immeasurably easier to ignore them when they’re not so obvious. At the same time, with fast user switching I can let my e-mail, chat, and newsreader programs run in the background, and can work knowing full well that, when I need a break, all my distraction tools—complete with any urgent messages—will be readily at my disposal.

I feel likes it’s been reported in widely varying sources and for some time now that efficiency and quality of life in countries with shorter work weeks and more liberal vacation policies are much higher than in the United States and countries with similar work culture. Good for you for making the move to do something about it in your life, despite what I’m sure can be considerable pressure and resistance from your user base. “Does my job facilitate my life, or does my life facilitate my job?” is exactly right.

posted at 04:56 am on May 09, 2006 by Kyle Matthews

2 As if you plucked it from my head

Thank you Ryan for an excellent article on self organization and what matters in life. I have been thinking very similar thoughts recently since our son come along. We all love creating the sites and applications during the day and get carried away by the process but let us be honest, admit it is our day job and not a hobby. Once we all do this we can crack on and be more productive as you suggest.

Can I add a book recommendation to your resources?

Read Good to Great by Jim Collins for a study on how corporations have implemented your suggestions and gone from, well, Good to Great.

Anyway it is time I stopped adding comments to blog entrys and drew up my work plan for the day.

posted at 07:58 am on May 09, 2006 by Keith Bloom

3 Similar to my Coursework experience

I think this working off the exact same thing that happens with my coursework. With a period of a few months to do it, I successfully manage to leave it and do it in the last weekend.

Boy does my productivity sky rocket over that weekend though.

It almost becomes fun.

posted at 08:32 am on May 09, 2006 by James Darling

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Is it written in stone somewhere that “Thou Shalt Work a 40 Hour Week”?

Well, it’s not written in stone, but it is written (and worded almost exactly like that) in my contract ;)

I look forward to working for myself. But when I do, I’m sure I’ll be working as close to a 100 hour week as I can physically endure for quite some time. For the start-up companies I really don’t think anything on the to-do list, no matter how low-priority it seems, can genuinely be struck off.

For the underlings out there, the graduate interns and office monkeys of the world, we genuinely don’t always have a choice. Not yet. But that’s not to say I don’t sincerely look forward to someday enjoying my 4 day week, and my Friday morning coffee houses :)

posted at 10:39 am on May 09, 2006 by Robert Swan

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I just started 2 months ago planning everything in only 4 days instead of 5. This seemend to work perfectly but instead of taking day 5 completely off, I just relaxed a little bit and worked on some different projects I like most, because I just love to do it.

Now I even have time every evening to do relaxing stuff because my attitude has changed and my planning is based on only 4 days a week. This works great!

It’s good to see I am not the only one who discovered this and I hope more people will try this, but of course, most people don’t have time to try it ;)

posted at 12:04 pm on May 09, 2006 by Dennis Tiems

6 Been on my list a long time...

I added ‘working a four-day week’ to my 43things.com list quite a while ago. It’s a great concept, but not one I’ve had a chance to try… yet.

:http://www.43things.com/things/view/61525

posted at 12:19 pm on May 09, 2006 by James Greig

7 4 day week! If only...

Great article Ryan – I really enjoyed reading it!

If only I could be a four day a week person, unfortunately I’m a wage slave and I don’t think the company would appreciate me going AWOL every Friday. In fact I just recently made a decision to start my working days an hour earlier in order to catch up with blogs and articles (like this one).

Having said all that, your article really inspires me to want to become self employed and if I ever get around to doing that – the 4 day week will be top of my agenda!

posted at 12:44 pm on May 09, 2006 by Jon Ratcliffe

8 Great Concept!

Great concept here; I think the truth is we all need to be doing things like this. Unfortunately for some of us, as you pointed out, it’s difficult to accomplish something like this when you are required to report to a boss and log certain work hours every week.

But you’ve got the right idea; I don’t think it should be limited to web designers and developers though. Over-working is becoming quite the epidemic here in the United States and eventually employees are going to get fed up with it.

posted at 01:50 pm on May 09, 2006 by Brian Crescimanno

9 You're my...

new hero! Carpe diem, starting today.

posted at 02:23 pm on May 09, 2006 by Trace Meek

10 Proof of the pudding

The saying is: “the proof of the pudding is in the tasting,” not “the proof is in the pudding.”

posted at 02:41 pm on May 09, 2006 by dave cooper