When I saw a study that said people over 40 should only work 3 days a week, I needed to know more. This is what I learned.
I don’t know how you feel, but I’m actually happy to be over forty. I happen to think there are a lot of great things about being over forty.
By the time you hit the big 4-0, you know who you are, what you want, and more importantly, who you are not and exactly what you don’t want in life.
You’re definitely smarter, that’s for sure.
That’s why I wasn’t completely shocked by this 2016 study. As it turns out, they found that people our age do much, much better at our jobs when we work 25 hours or less.
As of right now, this is my favorite study ever. I might have it printed and framed.
Why Science Says You Should Only Work 3 Days a Week
Some smart people in Australia from The University of Melbourne took a look at what happens to the cognition of people over 40 who are working full time.
What they found was that when you’re older than 40, working more than 25 hours a week means you may start to show some cognitive decline.
Before you freak out at the words “cognitive decline,” keep reading! It’s definitely not doom and gloom!
These researchers are saying that up to around 25 hours a week at our job, we’re totally on point.
When we work more than that 25 hours, however, we start to slow down a bit. We might not do our best work. Our productivity probably isn’t as great.
Look, I could have saved these folks a whole lot of money and research time because I knew that was true. Don’t you notice that when you work too much you are actually less productive and slower than usual?
Who came up with this whole 40 hour work week anyway?
I can get more done if I work 3 days a week than some people half my age can get done in 8 days a week! Is that how you feel?
I think it’s because after a certain age you can cut right through the nonsense, the clutter, the noise, and the fluff and get to the heart of whatever needs to be done.
So how do you find a way to only work 3 days a week?
Well, that’s the part the study didn’t explore. Go figure.
If you love your 40 hour a week job, YAY YOU! You’re so blessed to go to work somewhere that makes you feel happy and fulfilled.
If you’d like to work 3 days a week or less, and you have a job that would allow for part-time hours or job sharing, visit with your boss about it. Talk about how productive you are, and how you can do your job as brilliantly as ever while working fewer hours.
If you don’t have a job like that but you want one, I recommend trying FlexJobs.
It’s a well-known, reputable website that specializes in flexible and part-time jobs. It is a paid service, but it’s super inexpensive and you can cancel any time.
It’s far better than trying to look for these kinds of jobs on your own because Flexjobs eliminates the scams artists.
Are you over 40?
What do you think about this study? Do you find it to be true in your life? What kind of job do you have? I’d love to hear more.
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4 comments on “Over 40? Science Says You Should Only Work 3 Days a Week.”
I’m 61. I climb and cut trees for a living. I found once I got over 59 I had to start cutting back the number of days I climb in a given week (7 day period).I limited myself to 4 work days but soon found I was only sharp 3 of those days, sharp enough for climbing anyway. So now I climb 3 days per week and do my ground felling and clean up the 4th day. Looks like the Aussie researchers got this one right. My body just sort of naturally found its way to the same conclusions making it somewhat a “peer review” lol. Good article.
I’m 45 and single. And while this sounds great, reality check. If you only work 3 days a week and are single, how do make the house payment, pay the bills, buy groceries and other neccesities? Just something to think about.
So true. I know it all to tell. I do that now.
You’re absolutely right!!I spent most of my life running everyday,felt so stressed every day..I’m now 52 years old and some how I’ve managed to get to a place with my job as a cosmetologist to mostly work only 3 days a week,I started scheduling smater,I fill my Wednesday’s Thursday’s and Friday’s up first and use my Tuesday’s as my extra day..mine you now,if someone because of their schedule needs to come in on a Tuesday without a doubt I go in,then I can schedule as many as I want for that day..it took me a while to even accept this new adjustment in my life,lol..when I would have the extra day off,I would feel as though I’m wasting my day away doing nothing,I should be doing something,then God said to me,didn’t u ask me several times over the years,will u ever be able to slow down and not feel stressed every day,well this is that moment in life for you,do as u please,rest,sleep as much as you want,and restore your body mind and soul..so now I take full advantage of my loooong weekends and do as I please,I have a son who is now 20,can fend for himself,thank God! So just absolutely greatfull for where I am in my life now,and I’m learning to appreciate every moment of my free and lazy days I have now to do as I please!