Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

211–220 of 312 posts

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#211

Post by corrral »

mbg721 wrote: post #205
corrral wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks like hell for trying to schedule anything kid-related.

My experience with a < 3 year old is that I go "I need to do this today, this is fine," and my boss is cool with it and somehow the world doesn't burn down.

I was thinking:

1) School (transportation to and from, parent home to see kid off to the bus and be there when it gets back, at least)

2) Child care (10-hour days, which are more like 11 when you factor in travel, would be... very expensive, if you could get anyone to do it)

3) Any scheduled after-school/after-normal-workday kids' activities whatsoever.

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#212

Post by bobro »

spacemanmatt wrote: post #93

I can't remember an office in my past 15 years, where anything got done after 2 or 3pm. When I started WFH I optimized for my "peak times" and mostly blew off trying to do anything off-peak. MUCH happier now.

Same here. I get a lot done from 9-11 and 1-3. I’ll do little things outside those windows, but I won’t push myself if I’m not feeling it. Still plenty productive.

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#213

Post by sph »

JacobThreeThree wrote: post #168
sph wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your brain and body recharges every night. Memory function actually improves over night. Doing more hours doesn't make you more productive, the amount of meaningful work you can do in a day is pretty much constant. I'm definitely in the shorter days camp. In my experience there's a 2 to 4 hour peak performance window and a long tail of diminishing brain power.

>Doing more hours doesn't make you more productive, the amount of meaningful work you can do in a day is pretty much constant. Although that may be the case for most people, I doubt there's no exceptions to this.

The amount is constant for each person, but one person might have a 2 hour performance window while a 100x engineer might have a 9 hour performance peak.

You can increase or sidestep it a little with performance-enhancing drugs or a healthier lifestyle, but with their downsides, changes in your environment and other aging-related issues you'll see over a long enough period that it doesn't change much.

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#214

Post by throwaway1777 »

andix wrote: post #187
petergriffeen wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there's an unspoken rule to appear productive and "committed" while in the office, especially when everyone else - including your engineering manager - is doing it, you feel a pressure to do the same! same thing for not leaving home at 5pm sharp and waiting 15-30 mins before you allow yourself to leave it has to start from the top

If the weather is nice, you should leave at 3. To stay happy and motivated.

The weather is almost always nice in california

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#216

Post by andix »

throwaway1777 wrote: post #214
andix wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the weather is nice, you should leave at 3. To stay happy and motivated.

The weather is almost always nice in california

Then you need to create the special occasion on your own :)

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#217

Post by dsr_ »

barkerja wrote: post #159
dsr_ wrote: post #141

Can we agree that different people have different optimal working styles? Some people get everything done first thing in the morning and are useless in the afternoons. Some people can't get started until noon whatever their local time is. Some people can commit to 10 or 12 hour days, and if so, it's not fair to ask them to work 5 days a week at that rate. Some people work best in private offices, some at separated wo…

Agree 100% with this take. But my question is: how do you mesh all these types together and run an effective team/company? Or is that even possible?

In a large enough group, all things are possible, and a good manager can make them happen.

In a small group, start by asking what the company needs, and hire or move people to fit. It might not be possible to get a good fit for everyone.

Honesty and flexibility is the best policy: one dev who misses every morning meeting has a problem, but if half the team misses it fairly regularly, or everyone is yawning, move the meeting. Ask people about their working styles up front, and be clear during the hiring process if you have core hours, or inflexible shifts, or need everyone to be in person on the first Wednesday of the month, or whatever.

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#218

Post by sph »

bodge5000 wrote: post #194
sph wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your brain and body recharges every night. Memory function actually improves over night. Doing more hours doesn't make you more productive, the amount of meaningful work you can do in a day is pretty much constant. I'm definitely in the shorter days camp. In my experience there's a 2 to 4 hour peak performance window and a long tail of diminishing brain power.

> Doing more hours doesn't make you more productive Agreed, but nobody is gonna offer me 4 hours a day for 3 days a week. Being extremely optimistic, the best I can expect is 10 hour days for 3 days a week (though I dont thats gonna happen anytime soon either, so Im happy with 4 days). Shorter hours but more/same days do little to nothing for me. I mean it'd be nice, but that or less days is a very easy choice for me…

Fair enough. My point was that 5h over 6 days yields better output and happiness than 10h over 3 days. The average person would really hate those additional 2 or 3 hours, it's not fun consistently going over one's physical limits, even if you rest for the remainder of the week, but YMMV.

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#219

Post by hdjjhhvvhga »

adamhp wrote: post #41
forinti wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China is a modern country. I don't think Jack Ma's 996 makes any sense. If you apply it to manual labour, you will get sick people. If you apply it to intellectual work, people will just pretend to work. I think he is just plain greedy.

> If you apply it to manual labour, you will get sick people. If you apply it to intellectual work, people will just pretend to work. I've always been for the reduction of work hours, but this is a really good concise point that I'll put in my pocket. Thanks.

Actually, intellectual work - that in most cases is done by sitting in front of a computer - also causes illnesses, just different from those caused by manual labor.

For me this is the largest boon of the pandemic revolution: I can take as many exercise breaks as I want without anyone judging me, I can do some parts of my work while cycling,* and I can adjust my work position they way I like. None of these is possible without disturbing my colleagues in the office.

*) Especially meetings! Man, so many of these are such a terrible waste of time! But not mine: I burn calories and become more fit. If only we could have been reasonable and implemented such policies without the need for a pandemic to erupt.

Re: Ask HN: 6-hour workdays more important than 4-day workweeks IMO

#220

Post by glonq »

In a month or two my project gets transferred to new ownership and I will find myself re-negotiating for my current job. I'm 8ish hours per day 5 days per week right now. I would love to work 8x4 or 6x5 instead, but new company is full of go-getters and try-hards so I don't think my needs are a great match for their culture.
Post reply on HN