Working Hours Should Be Reduced For People Over 40: Experts Say They Should Only Work 3 Days A Week

August 6, 2018

Most people are used to working five days a week, eight hours a day, from 9 till 5. But would you change such schedule and work less if you had a choice? Of course you would.

We have some good news for you. Recent studies concluded that people over 40 should work only three days a week. Maybe, you should take this research with you next time you discuss your working schedule with your boss.

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The University of Melbourne has published a study called “Use It Too Much and Lose It? The Effect of Working Hours on Cognitive Ability”. Economic researchers reached a conclusion that workers over 40 years of age should have a three-day workweek. This way, their performance would be at the highest level.

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While conducting the research, the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research at the University of Melbourne analyzed the working habits of 3,500 women and 3,000 men from Australia.

It was done by carrying out various cognitive tests, including reading words aloud, reciting lists of numbers backwards, matching letters and numbers under time pressure, etc.

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After numerous tests, researchers concluded that the 25-hour workweek is the best variant.

Colin McKenzie, professor of economics at Keio University, took part in the research and said that:

Work can be a double-edged sword. It can stimulate brain activity, but at the same time, long working hours and certain types of tasks can cause fatigue and stress which potentially damage cognitive functions.

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What do you think about this research? Would you like to have a 25-hour workweek?

Source: Melbourne Institute