Who needs a 4-day work week when there’s a freelance work week?

We’ve all now heard of the 4-day work week movement whereby employees work 32 hours a week instead of the usual 40 for the same amount of pay. It’s apparently been a huge success for companies that have trialed this way of working. 

According to 7news “a six-month Australasian pilot program run by 4 Day Work Week Global found 95 per cent of organisations favoured the reduced schedule, which resulted in less stress for workers without lower productivity. As for employees, 96 per cent wanted to continue the four-day week after the trial wrapped up, with two-thirds of employees reporting less burnout and 38 per cent feeling less stressed”.  

This sounds great, but it’s certainly not a surprise. Having more freedom with your work hours allows you to be more focused and productive. I have certainly found this to be the case with my freelancing work. I have essentially taken all the good bits from the 4-day work week model and maximised them. Whilst the contracts I take on personally are 3 days per week, they always come with the stipulation that I don’t have set days. I’m not working every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; rather, I am contactable Mon-Fri on Teams (not emails) and will complete the 22.5 hours required across all 7 days of the week. That’s right; sometimes I work weekends, sometimes I work nights, but it means that I have so much free time throughout the day to do the school drop off and pick up, to do some exercise or sort the shopping and washing out. My contracts allow me to complete the work to my own schedule; and I have never been happier in my work life.