Get More Done in 4 Days: The Virtues Of Working Four Days A Week

We live in an age when it seems that the more you work, the higher your value. The idea of working four days a week is often scoffed at due to the belief that it means less productivity, but if you think about it, being able to do more in less time could actually mean you get more done in the long run.

Does working four days a week save you money?

For a typical person at a typical job, the answer is yes. Households in Malaysia spent RM 4,534 on average per month in 2019, an increase of RM 501 since 2016, the latest statistics from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) show.

In the Household Expenditure Survey Report 2019, DOSM noted that the increase in average or mean monthly household spending in Malaysia from 2016 to 2019 was at a rate of 3.9 percent per annum. 

With a four-day workweek at 8 hours each day, you can reduce your travel expenses and if you like to cook at home, this also means food expenses are saved as well.

What is the benefit of working four days a week?

One of the most important benefits of working four days a week is that it gives your brain some time to rest. Our brains are constantly working at 100% capacity, which means that in order for them to function optimally, resting time also needs to be optimal. When you have some time off, your brain can regenerate and think more creatively, which will lead to an increase in productivity.

What are the drawbacks of working only four days a week?

The drawbacks of working four days a week are that you will not be able to maintain the same level of productivity as you would on five or six. You will also not be able to work overtime without it affecting your other responsibilities. The best way to navigate through a new timetable is proper time management. Since the workweek is shorter, this means all datelines also have the tendency to get cramped up. Digital solutions that can help you send secured bulk messages or a hosted email, calendar, contacts, and task solution can surely relieve your burden.

How can you go about making the transition to work four days a week?

There are a few different ways that you can approach this. One must work four days a week but take extra days off on either side of your four-day workweek. It could also look like working three days a week with 2 half days to finish up your day, or working three days a week with one full day to finish up your day.

While the option of working 4 days a week is currently unavailable for most companies in Malaysia, one day soon, many hope it could be a part of a fair working package option an employee can offer due to the vast online, digital and virtual usage. Who knows, it might be one of the best decisions ever made by business owners.