Four day week

I work Monday to Thursday, usually between 9am to 6pm.

Sometimes I start work earlier, sometimes later. It changes, depending on what I’ve got going on that day or week, and what projects I have to deliver.

Why do I work a four day week?

I’ve always pushed for flexibility throughout my career, and with the growth of campaigns like 4 Day Week, studies are showing time and time again that time spent ‘at work’, in front of screens and in meetings, doesn’t necessarily lead to increased productivity.

In 2020, when I started Soleil Marketing during the pandemic, it felt like a good time to establish a healthier work-life balance and switch to a four day week.

What are the benefits?

• Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. So the less time you have to get something done, the quicker you do it. That’s why deadlines are so effective! For me, it makes me more focussed during the week.

• Time away from screens is good for our health, sleep patterns and creativity. I really feel the benefit of having more time to decompress, and having a day of breathing space to separate the work week from the weekend

• It creates a more efficient weekly schedule. I can schedule appointments, do admin and other non-critical stuff on Fridays

• Take a look at the 4DayWeek website for more benefits

Are there any downsides?

• It does mean I can’t fulfil client work on Fridays, but with good planning – and luckily organisation is one of my strengths – this is rarely a problem

• I have to be more selective and protective of my time from Monday to Thursday, so sometimes I miss out on interesting events and opportunities

After three years of working four day weeks, I wouldn’t go back. More and more businesses are adopting the model and it looks like it’s only going to grow further.