The three-day weekend is something we all look forward to. The extra day is great for hobbies, sleeping in, or relaxing. But, what if every weekend was a three-day weekend?
Healthier Habits
Instead of the occasional holiday creating a three-day weekend, others argue that it should be the case for every weekend. This change would also change the five-day work week to a four-day work week.
A 13-month study conducted by the University of South Australia consisting of 308 people had shown that when taking a long break, people had healthier behavior. People slept for 21 more minutes a day, exercised 5 more minutes a day, and were inactive (sitting around) for 29 minutes less a day.
These numbers may seem small, but add up over the course of a year. Additionally, sleep is essential for healthy brain function, as well as lowering the risk of many diseases (like depression). People also benefit from socializing with friends and family. When participants took a holiday, 31% of those people took it for social matters.
“Importantly, our study also showed that even after a short holiday, people’s increased sleep remained elevated for two weeks, showing that the health benefits of a three-day break can have lasting effects beyond the holiday itself.”
–Professor Carol Maher, University of Southern Australia senior researcher
Less Time For Work
If we remove one day from the work week, wouldn’t there be less productivity? Surprisingly, no!
Let’s take another real world example. 33 companies consisting of around 900 employees switched to the four-day work week for 6 months in turn for an extra day during the weekend. Revenue increased by an average of 38% compared to the same 6 months last year. After the test, 97% of the employees wanted to keep the schedule as it benefited their well-being.
Another real world example involved 61 companies consisting of about 2,900 employees also switched to the three-day weekend. The test lasted for around 7 months. About 92% of companies involved said they would continue the three-day weekend.
It’s actually in your best interest as a business owner to shorten the work-week, as it can increase productivity and leave your employees happy.
Time Out
Burnout and stress are massive problems in the workplace. LIMRA explains that “75% of workers say they have experienced at least one mental health challenge either ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’ during the past year”. A three-day weekend can help with that. Going back to Professor Carol Maher, she explains that a longer weekend generally improves mental health problems related to work.
Many employees have been advocating for its universal benefits. Most tests have shown the practicality of the three-day weekend. It’s time to stop dreaming for a longer weekend. It’s time to expect an actual break.
RELATED STORIES:
https://www.unisa.edu.au/media-centre/Releases/2023/time-out-we-all-need-a-three-day-weekend/
https://www.meetreflect.com/blog/long-weekends-mental-health/
https://phys.org/news/2023-05-three-day-weekends-great-well-beingand-economy.html#google_vignette
https://www.surfsideobx.com/why-long-weekends-are-good-for-you/
TAKE ACTION:
- Make three-day weekends a reality: https://www.change.org/p/the-u-s-government-three-day-weekend-every-weekend
