My switch to a 4 day week has been a while in the making. Yet it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
At the beginning of 2021 I decided I would only work on client projects Monday to Thursday. Then spend Fridays working on my own business growth. On paper this seemed sensible, but it didn’t quite go to plan.
In reality it meant 4 days of focused work, then a mad dash to try and fit in all the tasks I wanted to complete for myself. That typically meant my marketing and learning objectives were at the mercy of Fridays. Worse still I was becoming increasingly tired and burnt out, then trying to force myself to complete all these tasks in a day.
By the end of the year I’d written a number of articles. More than I ever had previously. However they were feeling a little forced and I was generally feeling like I wasn’t getting the balance I needed in my work.
When 2022 came around I was fortunate enough to have a steady stream of work for the long term. So with demand high I leant into a 5 day week again and pushed on. Looking back on it I definitely pushed too hard, and by the end of the year I was feeling pretty worn down again. I knew I needed a change.
A four day plus one day split for client and personal growth respectively wasn’t working well enough. A five day week was becoming too draining with the complexities of modern front end development.
I wanted a change, and I wanted it quickly. So I decided that I would start 2023 on a four day week. That I would work 9-5 and not try to do 5 days worth of work in only 4 days. I figured with my rates, and high demand I could fully embrace a four day week and still earn comfortably enough.
So far it’s been a huge success. I feel significantly more refreshed from a long weekend. I’ve gotten more done in 4 days than I did in 5 days previously. Likely due to being more focused from having some proper rest. I’ve also been able to tick more off my personal goals list which is a great feeling.
Learning not to feel guilty and truly switch off on Fridays was a little challenging to start with. But I’m now fully embracing it, and it’s had great positive effects for me. I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to give it a go.