If you have a full-time job, that probably means that you are working at least 40 hours a week and on a set schedule of 8 hours each day. Perhaps you also work overtime. Perhaps you have a commute. Working most likely takes up the majority of your day Monday through Friday.

If you think you’re the only one who is tired (literally) of the 8-hour work day, you’re far from alone. The pandemic forced many businesses to allow employees to work from home for the first time. Not only did this cut out the commute time, but it also allowed many of us to rethink if 8 hours in the office every day is really the best use of our time.

Is it possible to get 8 hours worth of work done in less time? Would we all be more productive if we actually spent less time at work? Perhaps, but first, let’s talk about how the 8-hour work day came to be the norm and why it doesn’t work anymore.

TikToker AutisticCommProf posted a video that clearly explains why 8 hours at work is not working in modern society. She starts the video by sharing a slogan used in the late 18th century to promote the 8 hour work day. It goes, “8 hours at work, 8 hours to rest, 8 hours for what you will.” That sounds like it makes sense, but then she goes on to explain why that balance doesn’t exist today. Watch the video below to see her explanation.

@ndcommlion##greenscreen ##capitalismsucks ##capitalism ##worklife ##worklifebalance ##fightfor15 ##eattherich ##generalstrikeoct15 ##generalstrike♬ original sound – AutisticCommProf

Many people with full-time jobs feel very seen by this video. In the comments, they added additional reasons the 8-hour work day doesn’t work well anymore. One viewer wrote, “the 8-8-8 model also assumed a single salary, meaning someone (aka the wife) was at home doing all the house hold chores/errands during the work day.”

Another person commented, “We work 5 days straight, we have to do all our laundry, cleaning, the first day off and only really rest the second, then start again.”

Another comment reads, “don’t forget almost EVERY business is 9-5, like banks, doctors, insurance companies, hair salons, post offices…good luck running errands after work.”

According to best-selling author, musician and entrepreneur David Andrew Wiebe, people tend to be the most productive for only about 3 hours each day. Meanwhile, Alex Pang, a productivity consultant, believes people stop being productive after about 5 hours of the work day.

Whether the ideal number of hours to work each day is 3, 5, 8 or something else probably depends on the industry and the type of work, but many people feel that a standard 8 hours for all industries isn’t the most productive use of anyone’s time.

Do you have an 8-hour a day work schedule? How many hours a day does work actually take each day including getting ready for work, commuting and eating lunch? Do you think the 8-hour work schedule is outdated?