
Why we should abolish the weekend – and take our days off whenever we like - protomyth
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/30/why-we-should-abolish-the-weekend--and-take-our-days-off-wheneve/
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khedoros
> 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.

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Damogran6
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.

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deprave
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/nc...](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160329/ncomms10996/full/ncomms10996.html)),
perhaps five-two is the least worst option, after all. ;)

~~~
IlPeach
That.

I still prefer the idea of 4/7 working days

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xg15
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!

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maxxxxx
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.

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

