Nowadays, the demands of modern life lead to numerous physical and mental issues since people spend most of their time working and have less time for their leisure activities.

The standard 40-hour workweek doesn’t lead to increased productivity because people are overworked, overstressed, less productive and less healthy. They actually need to work fewer hours in order to be healthier and more productive.

Therefore, a large number of employers have become aware of the necessity of shorter workdays which can stimulate their employees, increase their productivity and support their well-being.

According to psychologists, people can be productive only 4-5 hours a day. Afterwards their productivity decreases and they start to suffer. Anders Ericsson, who is a psychology expert, claims that overworking can lead to developing bad habits which affect both the productivity and the overall health of the employees.

Making mistakes at work

In a study conducted by Families and Work Institute, participants reported that when they feel overstressed at work, they make more mistakes. This is due to the reduced productivity.

According to the researchers, nurses who are overworked are also more likely to make errors. Namely, they have found a link between work duration and errors and adverse events.

In 2006, the chief executive officer of Treehouse, Ryan Carson, implemented a 32-hour workweek. Since then, the employees have become much happier and more productive. What’s more, the company now makes millions of dollars in revenue.

In 2013, the founder of Reusser Design said that after switching to a 4-day workweek, their employees perform much better.

The correlation between overworking and depression

Apart from causing stress and reducing the creativity, overworking also endangers people’s health. According to Japanese researchers, employees in small or medium sized companies who work 10 hours per day and sleep only 6 hours per night, have 97% higher risk of developing depression in comparison to people who work only 6-8 hours per day.

What’s more, according to a certain survey, 28% of the employees said that they would give up one day of pay for one extra day off from work.

Excessive work hours reduce the ability to concentrate on the working tasks, so people start making mistakes because their bodies and minds become tired. Rest is essential for optimal function of the whole organism, so a 4-day workweek is of vital importance for both the physical and mental health.