Why do we work 9 5? (2023)

Why do we have to work 9 to 5?

The 9-to-5 workday originated in the 1800s from the American Labor unions who were trying to protect workers rights. Back then, manufacturing employees were working about 100 hours each week. Then in the 1920s, the Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford introduced a 40-hour workweek.

Yes, working 9 to 5 every day might empower one employee for success. But a traditional schedule could also quench another person's ability to tap into other skills, like creativity, innovation, or teamwork. I'll be the first to say there's a time and place for office hours.

nine-to-five. adjective, adverb. /ˈnaɪntəˌfaɪv/ us. describes work that begins at nine o'clock in the morning and ends at five o'clock, which are the hours that people work in many offices from Monday to Friday: She's tired of working nine-to-five.

In the old days, many businesses had working lunches. People brought lunch to the office, and they worked while they ate. 9AM to 5PM meant eight working hours, including lunch.

The modern 9-to-5, eight-hour workday was invented by American labor unions in the 1800s and went mainstream by Henry Ford in the 1920s. Workers today are still prepared to accept the same shifts because we have become so accustomed to it.

In the 1920s, automobile titan Henry Ford found business reasons to impose limits on working hours. As someone who kept a close eye on efficiency, he noticed that when employees worked too many hours, they made mistakes and productivity suffered. As a result, he imposed restrictions: eight-hour days, five days a week.

How do you know a job isn't right for you?

During an 8 hour workday, the average worker only spends 4 hours and 12 minutes actively working. Keep reading to see what employees are doing instead of work.

Remember, it is totally normal to feel like you don't want to work. Take a mental health day.

But it is important to remember that we don't live to work, we work so that we can live. Even though work is a big part of our time, there is more to life than work. We work so that we can live happier, fulfilled, more engaged lives.

The Netherlands has the shortest average workweek, with the Dutch working an average of 29.5 hours per week.

The eight-hour workday started its life as a socialist dream. The Welsh textile mill owner and social reformer Robert Owen is credited as the first person to articulate it, by calling for “eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, and eight hours rest” for workers in the early 19th century.

The first country that introduced the 8-hour work day by law for factory and fortification workers was Spain in 1593. In contemporary era, it was established for all professions by the Soviet Union in 1917.

In 1926, the founder of the Ford Motor Company took his six-day-a-week operation down to five days per week, with no changes in employee compensation. He believed doing so would make his workers more productive—and more inclined to spend money during their downtime.

How did we get a 40-hour work week?

1938: Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, which required employers to pay overtime to all employees who worked more than 44 hours a week. They amended the act two years later to reduce the work week to 40 hours. 1940: The 40-hour work week became U.S. law.

A Wikipedia article says the first five-day workweek in the United States was instituted by a New England cotton mill in 1908 so that Jewish workers would not have to work on the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.

Improved Physical Health: Spending too many hours working can lead to stress that weakens the immune system, giving way to frequent bouts of illness. A healthy work-life balance protects your health, which means you'll take fewer sick days and have more energy for your activities.

As well, there are also studies saying that companies that impose their employees daily working hours are also less productive. In the end, scientists generally agree that the ideal daily working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning.

Flexibility helps more people access the labour market and stay in work, manage caring responsibilities and work-life balance, and supports enhanced employee engagement and wellbeing.

As such, a good rule of thumb is to stay at your job for a year or two. During that time, you've likely completed any probationary period and reached full productivity. This shows hiring managers that you can onboarded essential skills and performed the job with reasonable success.

If after about ten to fifteen days, you have not received any follow-up emails or phone calls to tell you about the “Next steps”, this usually means you did not get the job. If even after sending a thank-you email to the interviewer they never get back to you, this is a sign that you are not going to get the job.

Experts tend to agree that you should stick with your current job for at least two years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that as of January 2020, the median number of years that both wage and salary workers stay at their jobs is 4.1 years.

Is the 5 day work week outdated?

While the five-day, 40-hour workweek is a nearly century-old tradition, the model is severely outdated. Employees should be measured by output, not hours.

Less flexibility in life structure overall. False sense of economic security. Complacency in life.

It's all a matter of perspective. If you're the type of person who enjoys security, a sense of community, and structured routine, the 9-to-5 job is a good fit. But if you crave novelty, want to be your own boss, and have the personality to push yourself, you may find more enjoyment working outside the office grind.

Working 70-hour weeks can be challenging, but it's also a way for some people to achieve their financial and career goals. By learning strategies to coordinate your work and manage your priorities, you can make this schedule more sustainable and continue pursuing an ambitious career path.

Quiet quitting refers to doing the minimum requirements of one's job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary. As such, it is something of a misnomer, since the worker doesn't actually leave their position and continues to collect a salary.

It has been estimated that the average person will spend one-third of their life at work. That's roughly 90,000 hours at work over your lifetime. As a small business owner, it's a good idea to understand the average hours per week worked.

According to three out of five workers, the 9-to-5 workday is not the best way to work. They demand more flexible working hours, a better work-life balance, and more autonomy. This article offers three reasons why leaders should consider moving past the 9-to-5 in favor of more modern ways of working.

Yes, you can get rich working a 9–5 job. It just won't happen quickly, which is perfectly fine, especially if you like your job. You don't need to start a business to build wealth if you set up a simple saving system and stick to it for the long run.

What is the healthiest work schedule?

The typical healthy work week consists of 40 hours or less (A 38-hour week is optimal according to a study by time management expert Laura Vanderkam as relayed by Atlassian), a consistent schedule, and an array of workplace systems that set employees up for success.

You'll have two hours of uninterrupted time to focus on your most important agenda items and map out your to-do list for the rest of the day. You'll also have the chance to prepare for any morning meetings, allowing you to feel confident and prepared, rather than groggy or harried.

As well, there are also studies saying that companies that impose their employees daily working hours are also less productive. In the end, scientists generally agree that the ideal daily working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning.

The typical millionaire works around 60 hours each week, which equates to a ten-hour, six-day workday. Bear in mind that a 10-hour, six-day workweek is the very minimum for a self-made billionaire. According to several prominent billionaires, aspiring entrepreneurs should work 70- to 80-hour workweeks.

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become successful (or even master) any skill.

The 3 real reasons that motivate us to work hard every day

Autonomy: Our desire to direct our own lives. In short: “You probably want to do something interesting, let me get out of your way!” Mastery: Our urge to get better at stuff. Purpose: The feeling and intention that we can make a difference in the world.