The world is rapidly changing around us, but for the most part, we’re still locked into an outdated work setup. It might be time to Wrework our work lives.
What is your workday really like? If you’re working in a traditional office environment, odds are it’s pretty counterproductive: clocking in at a set time every morning after a tedious commute, sitting in front of a computer for hours on end, having lunch at your desk and schlepping home through traffic just to check emails and finish up a few tasks, all while you try to have some semblance of a ‘normal’ home life… Does any of this sound familiar?
In a society that glorifies being busy, it’s easy to fall into the trap of letting your job take over your life. We’ve come to think of the ideal employee as the ‘face-time warrior’: first to arrive in the morning and last to leave, never taking time off, answering emails after hours and taking work home. But where is the balance? And does putting in long hours really result in peak performance?
The Hours
In 2007, a US software company called 37 signals (later renamed Basecamp) decided to launch an experiment: they cut their workweek down from five days to four. The result? No change in output. So they made the change permanent – for six months of the year, Basecamp employees work only from Monday to Thursday.
Not everyone took to the idea. Tara Weiss, a journalist working for Forbes, wrote a critical piece titled ‘Why a Four-Day Workweek Doesn’t Work’, arguing that ‘packing 40 hours into four days isn’t necessarily an efficient way to work. Many people find that eight hours are tough enough; requiring them to stay for an extra two could cause morale and productivity to decrease.’ Company co-founder Jason Fried was quick to respond, agreeing that 10-hour days would indeed be stressful – which is why they had stuck with eight-hour days. So how do his employees get just as much done, even after a 20% reduction in working hours?
This story is from the January 2017 edition of Fairlady.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2017 edition of Fairlady.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Easter with edge
Grant knows what it's like to miss out on the celebrations that anchor family life.
The MALE bias
Historically, medical studies were mainly done on male mice and on men; and then extrapolated to treat women, as if a female body were just a smaller version of a male one. Here’s why that doesn’t make sense, and how to work with your body’s natural rhythm for better health.
Wellbeing
How to sleep better, feel better and look better!
The other type of CHEATING
Lies about money can have devastating consequences in a relationship.
THE 'PEST' IN PESTICIDES
oe r Despite many highly Hs hazardous pesticides being banned in their countries of origin, 192 of them are still legally exported to South Africa
START A BUSINESS LIKE a Saffer
There's nothing quite like a South African entrepreneur. In the face of adversity, they innovate and persevere. But what fuels that determination? We chatted to some self-starters to find out.
How to take the MONOTONY OUT OF MONOGAMY
It's easy to get complacent in a long-term relationship. Before you know it, your partner is little more than your roommate. Here's how to shake things up.
SUPER TROUPER
At one point, Josie Borain was the most famous model in the world. Her face was on every magazine that mattered. And in the madness of all that attention, she never lost her sense of self. She talks to us about turning 60, being single, and starting her third act with a move to the platteland.
Little wonder
Over the years we have visited 16 Greek islands, but when we first set foot on Halki, the little-known gem just south of Rhodes, we knew we'd found the closest thing to the perfect one. And we vowed to return. Often.
HOME AFFAIRS
These three entrepreneurs are redefining the heartbeat of homes through their unique blend of creativity, sustainability and purposeful design.