Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015) • Hacker News Board

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#131

Post by gnfisher » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:22 PM UTC

toasterlovin wrote: post #77

skizm wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i think everyone would choose this for the most part. The problem is heath insurance (in the us). Even at full pay, if you’re not on your company’s policy it’s almost unaffordable. And most companies will not allow you to be on their plan if you classify as “part time”.

Health insurane is expensive, but eminently doable for most technical salaries. Ours is about $950/mo for a family of 5.

What kind of health plan is that, if you don't mind my asking (Context: I've been living abroad 10 years, had a family while down here, we are thinking of moving back but the cost of healthcare and its quality is a big issue for us).

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#132

Post by adjkant » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:22 PM UTC

walshemj wrote: post #130

adjkant wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The huge problem for me would be the 10 hour days followed by a 2 day weekend. Hard pass. I'll also second the 10 hours being useless. Most days I really get about 4-5 hours of 100% work in. I don't think this would be any more productive than simply doing 3 day weekends with 8 hours of work, which I would prefer between the two.

I think that most workplaces you wont get 4-5 hours of useful work done on average.

As in lower or higher?

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#133

Post by maxxxxx » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:29 PM UTC

chimeracoder wrote: post #125

maxxxxx wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I need is a weekly work day :). My workplace is so distracting that I barely ever get to do focused work. The background noise drives me crazy and then always somebody wants to have another meeting about something that has been discussed dozens of times before.

> What I need is a weekly work day :). My workplace is so distracting that I barely ever get to do focused work. The background noise drives me crazy and then always somebody wants to have another meeting about something that has been discussed dozens of times before. Sounds like bullpen office layouts are the problem. We really need to go back to private offices.

And let's have less people whose only job is to report to each other about work instead of doing work. Unfortunately managing is paid better than doing so I don't see that changing.

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#134

Post by honkycat » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:29 PM UTC

strictnein wrote: post #95

I'm surprised we haven't seen more of the mixed compromise: Monday - Thursday: 10 hour days Friday - Monday: 4 day weekend Tuesday - Friday: 10 hour days Saturday - Sunday: 2 day weekend and then it repeats. Same hours worked overall. Work longer days, but get 4 day weekends every other week. The people I've known who've had this setup would generally work 6am-4pm.

Personally, I do not have 10 hours of work in me per-day. Honestly: I don't have 8 hours of work in me per-day, but my employer demands it. If they want to pay me to browse hacker news for an hour a day, so be it.

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#135

Post by andromedavision » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:30 PM UTC

dmix wrote: post #108

maxxxxx wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I need is a weekly work day :). My workplace is so distracting that I barely ever get to do focused work. The background noise drives me crazy and then always somebody wants to have another meeting about something that has been discussed dozens of times before.

I would quit so fast if my workplace was like that. That is not an environment where (good) software can be created. You need technical people as the cofounder/upper management level to push back hard on that stuff. Via quiet separated office areas for developers, policies on 'distractions' during certain times OR when headphones are on OR Slack status is "Do Not Disturb", etc.

This cannot be stressed enough IMO.

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#136

Post by knodi123 » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:34 PM UTC

AlwaysRock wrote: post #124

knodi123 wrote: post #102

I just got a 20% raise to go with a promotion. I wished I had an opportunity to negotiate a 20% reduction in working hours instead- perhaps even along with a slight reduction in pay.

Did/have you asked? I know a handful of people who have asked and successfully accomplished this. I know a lot more people who wish they could but don't want to ask for fear of being seen as a low performer or something.

Um, actually no I didn't think to ask. That's a good point. I'm traveling to meet my distributed team next month, maybe I'll delicately broach the subject.

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#137

Post by NeoBasilisk » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:38 PM UTC

Fjolsvith wrote: post #80

village-idiot wrote: post #55

One of the great surprises in the 20th century is that per worker productivity has risen massively, but we still work an unnecessary 40 hours a week. Realistically 15-18 hours would probably be enough to maintain early to mid 20th century output, and 30 hours would actually increase output a bit. In my opinion we as a society are addicted to work.

Some work doesn't happen any faster despite worker productivity. The 40 hour work week isn't determined by the output, but rather by the income the worker receives. People are free to work 15-18 hours a week, but they don't.

>People are free to work 15-18 hours a week, but they don't.

Not if you live in the US and want health insurance.

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#138

Post by emaginniss » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:39 PM UTC

JulianMorrison wrote: post #68

JulianMorrison wrote: post #44

Three is too short. Try five?

I'm getting voted down but I'm serious... it is a cultural choice to feed people by paying them for work. And so work must be procured and time occupied by what is essentially walking a treadmill until the rent pops out.

That may be how you feel about it, but the employers feel differently. They wouldn't hire and pay someone unless they felt that the person was providing some value.

Also, if you believe that one should have rent and food without work (and probably not paying for it), why would you expect those that provide the food and shelter to do their job without remuneration? Are you in favor of developing a class of people who have no choice but to do work for the benefit of others without pay? I feel like I've heard of that idea before.

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#139

Post by jrockway » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:41 PM UTC

lolive wrote: post #9

The consequences would be terrible! We would have to wait 18 months between each iteration of Iphone instead of 12. Amazon would deliver at day+2. Uber Eats would answer: "No slave available. Sorry, you will have to cook". Simply unacceptable !!! Now go back to work 5 days a week!

Everyone should work _7_ days a week. iPhones will come out every year instead of every 18 months! Amazon would have same-day delivery! Uber Eats would answer: "your food is on its way!"

Very acceptable !!!

Stop slacking off by taking 2 days off out of every 5!

(On a serious note, I think you will find that productivity does not scale linearly over the number of days per week worked.)

Re: Every Weekend Should Be a 3-Day Weekend (2015)

#140

Post by andromedavision » Mon, Sep 17, 2018, 4:42 PM UTC

danny8000 wrote: post #127

I think we should switch to a six-day week (just drop Wednesday). Two day weekend, four day week: http://calendars.wikia.com/wiki/60-Week_Calendar

I don't know why, but the idea of just dropping a day, though plausible, cracked me up.