Has anyone ever included in their cover letters. “I’m looking forward to an under 40 Work-hours a week environment, based on results…” any success with that?

I’ve never heard of that approach per-se (I think the company already has to have that in their culture, as opposed to an employee trying to dictate those terms), although I really think it depends on your industry. If, for instance, you’re a freelance web developer, you can quote by the job and not by your hourly workload, creating a results oriented work environment for yourself. Along the same lines, I think a lot of companies are willing to hire developers based upon output and not on hours. I have a family member who worked at a relatively well known tech company and they had no standard work week – your job was to get the work done and no one tracked your hours. This is obviously an industry I’m familiar with, and I think there’s some hope there. There’s probably opportunities in similar industries that I’m unaware of. That said, there are still plenty where the hourly workweek is still a standard.

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. As you can see by the dates this was a few years ago and unfortunately as our business has grown I haven’t been able to keep my workweek quite as balanced. In the midst of the growth we hired a full-timer, only to have a partner leave right after. We’re hiring again soon which should hopefully bring us back down to a more desirable schedule like I had back then (with the benefit of a much better business of course).

The points you bring up are great ones in the larger context of things. I don’t think most people have put even half of the thought into it that you have. And unfortunately as technology has improved and we’ve become a 24x7x365 society, we’re seemingly more connected and more busy even though we know research tells us it’s not a good idea.

On an individual level, in education or in many other careers, I’m sure it can be a challenge. While I don’t know your individual situation, I do have a few friends who teach at colleges and have as much (probably more) flexibility than I do. Maybe it’s a matter of finding a better fit at a university that doesn’t have as strict of a 9-5 policy?

As frustrating as it can be, you’re at least trying and thinking about these things, which will ultimately serve you well. And if it’s any consolation, even when I feel the most balanced, I never quite feel as though I’m perfectly balanced – there’s always a guilt associated with whatever I’m not doing. If I’m working out or spending time outside, I always feel like I should be working. If I’m working, I feel like I should be spending time with family. I guess my point is that I’m not sure that a 100% perfect balance is ever really achievable so try not to let it stress you out too much

What about personal growth? I am a family person. I love to experience life and cook delicious food. I enjoy a good book or movie. I need to play sports and be active. I want to see other countries and cultures. Where’s my time for that!?

This concept is great for some fields, but may be tougher in a situation like Education. I’m slowly trying to make changes (working outside the building at a picnic table for an hour or so, leaving a half hour early to run an errand, etc). It’s making me happier, but it isn’t enough…..yet how do you make those types of drastic changes when you’re lower on the totem pole without being scolded? The excuse “the work is getting done, isn’t it?” can only take you so far.

We know that the 40 hr workweek is a health issue – both physically and mentally. And there’s nothing efficient about it. So. Where do we go from here? How do we change a habit that’s been in place for decades?

I know you’ll laugh but I’ve been working a 40 hour work week for about 2 years now. Before that it was part time (usually 2 part time jobs so I guess I was working around 40 hours).

What I found out, just as I did in school, was that I could accomplish more by using less time.

When I’m at work, the first 4 hours are my prime period, I get so much done within that scope. The later 4 hours are pretty much dedicated to doing minor tasks, emailing, tweaking and keeping everything running.

I’m sure if we switched to a 20 hour work week we’d accomplish more. People would come in and hammer out their tasks without having the looming “4 extra hours” over their heads.

I think a shorter day also gives us better incentive to work longer as well. If we accomplish everything within that first 4 hours, we could then think how can we improve what we just finish and push it even further. I don’t think you really get that with a full 40 hour work week because it pressures you.