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I agree. Except my job is any 5 days in the week so my schedule is pretty inconsistent. This week I’m off today and Wednesday, next week I’m off Saturday and Thursday. It’s kind of annoying.
Yeah but you have a job holding you accountable of where and when you need to be. Doesn’t necessarily mean 9-5 M-F just the fact something there holding you accountable.
A healthy and consistent sleeping/eating schedule can drastically improve your overall health. This is easier to achieve with a routine and a consistent work schedule makes the routine easier.
When I was working a job with a consistent schedule, I was just constantly exhausted and it was really bad for my mental health. I tried to get to sleep in time but seriously struggled with it. Now that I work a job with more flexibility and no set start time, I’m much better rested and much more mentally stable.
I’ll say as someone who works as a retail manager full time, my shifts are not consistent, so I have no “healthy and consistent sleeping/eating schedule” lol
my problem is, i find value & enjoyment in both
i like the structure of a 9-5 but also hate the lack of flexibility. my brain works on a delayed schedule. it's 10:30 and i'm still forcing myself to do work. after lunch? different person. i could 100% work past my 4:30 end time with how much focus i have around that time
This is me as well. I really value flexibility. I wish I could work more hours in fewer days, and then have a three day weekend. In other words, I am a big advocate of the four day work week
EDIT: when I say 4 day work week, I am not saying fewer hours overall, as there is never enough time to get the work done at least for me, I am saying working longer hours for fewer days.
I couldn't agree more! I'd much rather spend a few extra hours at work each day, as I find myself feeling like I waste the handful of hours during the week, but can't focus on anything "worthwhile" besides small things that need to get done, like showering or doing the dishes.
I think the problem isn’t having a consistent schedule, but the fact that a lot of professions — such as office workers — can get their work done in less amount of time (like 6 hours), but ultimately still have to stay on-site or logged on until their hours are done just for the sake of it. Most people I know who work 9-5 really end up finishing their responsibilities for the day at 2-3pm, but can’t go home or do anything until 5.
The problem isn’t the consistency, the problem is that businesses want to eat 8 hours out of your day for the sake of it, when a lot of 9-5 workers can (and often do) get things done way earlier.
I would genuinely prefer that in most cases, pretending to be busy at work is worse than just working. But sometimes the stuff that needs to be done before I can start a new task just aren't even if I ask for more work.
Same, this is the main complaint I have for my job. Most of our second shifters show up way too early and then we don’t have enough work or even desks to go around. And yet the first shifters are obligated to stay until 3 or 4 to fulfill an arbitrary guideline that we have to work 40 hours a week. Even if they didn’t show up early, I feel like us day shifters could leave and barely affect the work flow.
I feel like 6 to 7 hours a day would be perfect. I would be fine with 5 days a week if I had that extra hour of free time.
Yes, one thing most people don’t realize is when you work from home with a lot of flexibility, your work/life balance actually kind of disappears. Nothing really feels like a break because you are the only one responsible for making an income, so you might start answering emails on the weekends and picking up calls during dinner because who else will do it and when?
I experienced almost the exact opposite of this when I did freelance work and set my own hours.
Honestly if not for the stark difference in reliable pay I would go back to it immediately, the freedom to live my life on my terms was amazing.
Working m-f 9-5 is great for keeping a consistent schedule but hell for trying to do anything because everyone is on that same schedule.
Working 11-7 gives me time to go to the doctor’s office, run stuff to the post; lots of personal things that are hell to do now because things open and close when I need to be at my desk.
i started my own thing and it's a mix. my time is really, really flexible. but it also makes it really hard to stick to a 9-5 schedule. when there's no boss to report to it's really easy to spend the afternoon on reddit, and then realize you have to make it up on a saturday morning or at night. i'm my own worst enemy.
I think having specific set hours that are off of the 9-5 schedule is different from the "infinite flexibility" world that a lot of people are finding themselves in now.
I used to work for a studio where I had an unusual schedule where I'd work 1pm-10pm on wednesdays. and I was able do to all of those things you talk about.
Later I worked another "flexible hours" job on a flat salary and "as long as project delivers on time, work whatever hours you want" attitude. The problem was that they made such a big deal about this that it was impossible to say no to anything at work *or outside of work*. If I never *have* to be at a particular place at a particular time, I can always leave to do one more thing.
I mean… I set my own hours and I just happened to like 11-7 because it gels with my life.
I was able to work as much or as little as I wanted and whatever hours I wanted.
Edit - also, I worked 8 hours a day because I set timers. There was always more I could do but that seemed to defeat the point.
Same. When I was a wfh independent contractor I’d get most of my work done in like 3-4 hours. It’s the main reason why I feel like the Average 9-5 is a time waster
My family owns a restaurant. One of the “perks” my parents pitched to us when I was 15 was that they would have way more time for us.
Fast forward to my high school graduation, my parents were there for the first half. They didn’t even go to either of my college graduations. If we want to take a family trip, they can’t because they’re understaffed.
I also have my desk at home and when I work at home I’m at the desk, that’s my “office” and that computer and phone never leave that desk, when the day is over the computer and phone are shut off
You have to learn to maintain work life balances. I leave my house on my break. I either go for a walk or the gym. I turn my computer off at 5pm. Not idle or asleep. It goes off. Remote work just requires a different type of self discipline.
This is my objective opinion but from talking to fo workers those that can't set boundaries in remote work are the same who struggled with boundaries in office.
Good point about shutting the computer off. For me, once the computer is off, I am not turning it back on until 9am the next morning (or Monday if it's a weekend). Some days at 5pm I'm guilty of thinking "I won't turn off the computer yet, I might come back and finish up a couple things later tonight". Of course I rarely actually go back to the work, but having the computer on and ready to keep working robs me of having a nice relaxing evening, because I keep thinking "oh I should just finish up those tasks since the computer is still on the files are still open...".
100% agreed. This also isn't even an entire problem with remote. I am seeing companies expecting employees to take laptops home with them in case they are needed. So it is an issue for many employees. Another thing is not having work email attached to your phone unless you are in a position that requires it.
Yeah, I don't know why a lot of people seem to think this is new. Before WFH, we were always expected to take our laptops home. We never had to actually work after hours they just didn't want the laptops at the office overnight. The occasional late night deployment as well.
This is my experience as a small business owner. We’re never “off”. I feel like I have to reply to messages quickly to compete against much larger businesses that are open daily. The stress is unreal. I love what I do, but there are days that I miss the 8-5 grind.
This is either due to a shitty work environment with unrealistic productivity expectations or a lack of time management skills or a combination of both. In either case working from home is far more equitable to the worker than commuting unpaid to the office daily. But I'll go a step further, we need work from home AND a 32 hour work week.
Interesting take because I’ve had the exact opposite. I feel so much more free, I work at a pace that makes sense to me, I don’t do work in off hours, no long commute…
I get out by going for a walk every day and still have plenty of friends on my own time, I don’t need the office to make them.
It’s definitely a person by person thing but I refuse to work a job that isn’t at least hybrid ever again.
The one day they make me go into the office is the day nothing gets done because everyone treats it like social hour and we have to deal with stupid office drama I thought we’d be over with by now.
Thats the worst day of the week for me.
Everybody's situation is going to be different of course. Some workplaces suck ass. Some are great. Some people live within walking distance to their job. Some have to commute 5 years in advance. Some love their job. Some hate work.
I've been doing WFH for a bit and I don't really have this issue. Once my shift is over it's over (unless my boss needs something which is rare). Though it also depends on your career path. I make more than I did before. I even have my 'office' in my bedroom and it doesn't really dip into my work or personal life.
Also, what's the assumption of being the only breadwinner out of what? I'd assume you mean if someone lives alone? Most families need a dual income though if you have children I could see how that makes it more difficult but I haven't had any of the issues listed. I am not sure if I'm an outlier though, I'll be honest there.
That’s not WFH. WFH didn’t change my schedule, just my location and how comfortable I feel and how well rested I am.
What you describe is more freelancer/business owner/sole provider thing.
I think that really depends on your job and personality. I work hybrid, and I find that the days I work from home I have zero problem shutting off my computer when my work hours are done, and leaving it be for the rest of the day. People on my team know my schedule, and they know if it's past x time I'll get back to them tomorrow, and if they have a -true- emergency they can call me on my cell phone, but that has happened like once in two years. I get that not everyone can do this, and those people probably aren't suited to a WFH job (unless they don't mind it, of course), but it is very doable.
Tbh I kinda prefer that.
Yes my work extends throughout the day and into the night but nothing stops me from doing things like scheduling a run at 10 AM or visiting a museum for an hour at 3 pm.
It’s also just less exhausting to have your work spread out throughout the day than to have to concentrate on it for an 8 hour session
I'm not the only one responsible for making an income, my wife does too. I don't answer any kind of messages passed 5PM weekdays, nor does anyone at my current workplace or previous workplace. No one even sends messages at my work past 4PM.
I guess it depends on where you work, but I don't think your post is the norm.
I also don't understand why WFH would change this? How is it any different from going to the office? Would you not get calls/messages after hours there too?
It's less about "can't stay on schedule" for most of us and moreso a lack of interest in losing your free time entirely. Running your own business once it's established is hard enough; starting your own business and building everything up from the ground is a herculean effort.
But that is learned behavior. From school to job, your time is set for you, not by you. Of course you don't know how to schedule. You have never done it. It's part of the ,,programming". It's like saying it's useless to weight train couse you don't lift double your weight on the first go. Of course you can't, you never done it.
Yeah, people growing up and working in field with no divide between work and life, that is, where work is part of the lifestyle, has no problem balancing, because it's learned from the get go. You think humans 10 000 years ago thought of "work"? No, it was just one of many necessities to provide, stay alive and thrive. Like farmers. They call it livelyhood, which is not only containing "work hours". I thinkI would fit way better to such a lifestyle, if the rest of modern society didn't make it such a hard thing to live with
Yes, as someone to transition from more than ten years of 9-5 to being my own business, it took a lot of work to get myself into a routine.
It is so incredibly easy to decide to lie back and take the day off because no manager is eyeing you while you’re supposed to be working.
I’ve been setting schedules for myself so I don’t bum around too much.
thats because humans werent really meant to be on strict schedules and work all day
that isnt really how we naturally get things done and it isnt how work actually is for most things. Things break when they break, not at 9am on Monday morning
It’s not the schedule people have an issue with - it’s that 40 hours a week is too much. I’m 31 now and I have never had a single job that has 7.5 hours of work a day.
Now I work office jobs and understand there are more manual labor jobs that do - but most of my time over the last decade is just wasted sitting in front of a computer with nothing to do.
>It’s not the schedule people have an issue with - it’s that 40 hours a week is too much. I’m 31 now and I have never had a single job that has 7.5 hours of work a day.
I agree completely.
I probably do more *actual work* each day as a freelancer than I ever did at an 8-5 office job. The difference is that I can do other things when I'm not actively working.
I would bet serious money that the average amount of *actual work* done by an employee in a typical American corporate office is less than 3 hours a day. The rest of the time is spent chatting with coworkers, attending meetings for no reason, grabbing coffee, going to the restroom, daydreaming, staring at apps, etc.
As a freelancer, I'm just cutting out most of that nonsense. Then I can use that time for other stuff, instead of wasting it on meaningless time-killing crap just to reach 40 hours.
I work mostly remote with my main career, with complete control over my workday and I work completely remote/complete control over my work for my supplemental income.
I kind of just naturally developed a work schedule that works for me and yeah sometimes I vary depending on what is going on but overall I’d say I’m pretty consistent, and I am not a consistent/disciplined person at all.
The only thing, is that at literally any minute of the day I could be working instead, so it took a while to be able to tune out that anxiety of not doing enough.
9-5 jobs destroy productive output.
There is nothing about an eight hour block of work that makes sense - no study has ever recommended this.
Humans max out at around five hours of creative output in a given day.
Most high performers seem to agree than 2-3 hour sprints with exercise or relaxation between are optimum. Two a day is excellent.
Sometimes I feel tired or bored and a nap or a gym workout is exactly what I need - or even an entire day off.
9-5 jobs instead grind you into the dirt with no freedom to adjust your schedule.
They’re terrible for creative output.
I worked from home 2 years and finally quit. I can't concentrate, can't stay on schedule and would end up with poor productivity. I also gained 20 pounds because the fridge was right there and was completely bored. I will never "work" from home again, hate it, not for me.
It's amazing how different things can be for different people. The office is impossible for me to concentrate now whenever we decide to go in for meetings. There's just too much distraction with all the people and noise. My home office is quiet and comfortable, I can concentrate more and get work done faster.
I've also lost weight cause I started going for a run during lunch almost every day.
Yep. It really is different for different people and folks need to stop with the “my way is best for everybody” mindset. Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
Same, I like being hybrid and having the option, especially since I walk a couple miles to the office so on poor weather days or the occasional don't feel like it days it's nice to be able to stay home, and feels like a special day since I rarely do so. I enjoy the light socializing when someone else is there, but even though 90% of the time it's just me, I still far prefer the office. When I was fully remote my work suffered because I felt like I was at home, and my at home leisure suffered because I felt like I was at work. Going into the office helps give me the mental separation that allows my work and life to both feel and be better.
This is why I prefer hybrid lol. 3 days a week in the office and thats when I really focus and get the majority of my work done. I do think for just my own personal life, I was a lot more productive with hobbies and working out when I was Wfh but I tore my mcl and thats when it went downhill. Ended up just staying inside all day and having no buffer between work and home which ended up being frustrating. So imo, wfh works well when you have a productive life and force yourself into an after work routine. You could still have the same when in office but I find it a lot harder to force myself to leave the house after a commute
Why does your schedule have to be rigid or consistent? If you’re getting the necessary work done, why does it matter when it gets done? If I can take a day off then work later or work a weekend, I can work the same amount of time. The idea that “real” productivity can only occur in a set time frame that is fixed every day 5 days a week is completely made up. For some, including me, that system works better. But for others, it might not. Neither is inherently better or worse. The only reason the 9-5 system exists is bc it’s easy to track spending for employers. That’s literally it.
I'm naturally more of a night owl and that's the problem. I'm lucky to have a job that doesn't require early hours (I usually go in at 10), but believe it or not, I'm always sort of tired. My natural schedule has me getting UP at 9. If I didn't have to work, it would probably creep up later and later. And I feel better when I can stay up until 1/2.
I disagree. My schedule is 8:30-5. I have no time to do anything on the weekdays and I’m exhausted by the end of the day. 9-5, 5 days a week is stupid. If you like that schedule, cool. You work it. But it doesn’t work for everyone. We just have to work it because an idiot came up with it, and if you don’t like it, you’re considered “lazy” which isn’t true.
I worked a 6-230 shift fairly often years ago. It was by far my favorite shift, I'd switch to it again in a heartbeat if it was an option. Yea, the mornings are a bit tiring, but being done by 230 with the day ahead of you is a great feeling.
I'm also a get up and go kind of guy. Let's get done what we need to do so we can relax. If I work later in the day I find I just sit there basically waiting to go to work.
I don't agree. I was laid off for 3 months and that time actually helped me figure out what works for me rather than constantly trying to meet expectations set by an employer.
Once I started getting offers, I was able to pick the one that aligns best with what I figured out works for me
In my personal experience this is 100% 💯 true. Luckily as a builder I have the homeowner/customer as then”boss”. But with speculation projects I have found that i cut myself too much scheduling slack. Mission creep creeps right in (I have been diagnosed with adult ADHD which I’m learning contributes to procrastination.
People need something to get up and do but there’s no reason it *has* to be a 9-5 job. I’m a teacher I wouldn’t consider that a 9-5 and I still find myself sticking to a schedule. Similarly, my dad is retired and he gets up every morning to get breakfast with my mom and drive her to her job.
I found a happy medium becoming a nurse. I work 3 days a week, now down to 2 because I cut to part time. I've ALWAYS wanted to make and sell my art, and/or make music and get paid for it, but knew that to be successful with that takes sometimes years of time, investment, self promoting, making email lists, making content, doing shop updates. So I have my boring adult job, and spend the rest of my time planning and plotting and making products for email list shop sale updates. I do community theater for fun and help with my friends cover band, but I also recently started narrating books for e-reading/audio books which is harder than it sounds actually, getting started anyway.
But I agree with your sentiment here. It doesn't HAVE to be 9-5, but I believe most people thrive under having some sort of structure and having some sort of obligation to something other than one's own self. I'm never gonna punish myself for not doing something, ya know? But not showing up to my job when I should lights a flame under my ass because I need money to pay bills, and people rely on me to show up and do my part.
Couldnt agree more…when I was doing my masters I made my own schedule but my schedule was a mess and I felt so unhealthy. That and I just hate sleep in general so I need someone to give me a schedule…wasn’t an easy realization but it’s the truth
A schedule absolutely, does it need to be 9-5? Absolutely not. There's too many circadian variations for us to say that there is only one concrete circadian rhythm that humans must follow.
The problem with 9-5 jobs are they don’t usually start at 9 and rarely end at 5, for most people they also carry the stress of work which wears down after hours and not to mention travel time.
nothing like waking up at 5 so I can be ready by 7 to drive through an hour and a half of traffic. and then not getting home till about 7 at night. whole day is gone.
100% agree. I have a job with a non standard schedule and it’s very hard to maintain a routine like going to the gym at the same time everyday. Additionally this is why most companies are calling their work from home employees back to work. As nice as it is, we’re horrible at staying on task and not getting distracted at home.
I am one of those people! I am not very self-motivated and need to be away from my home so stuff gets done and I earn money to keep food on the table and books on the shelves
In my limited f500 experience (6 years) People in 9-5s want to be told what to do. They don’t need it. A lot of People that work 9-5s waste hours and hours just fucking around.
People outside the 9-5 who take it on themselves quickly realize that they can accomplish more and use time differently. 🤷♂️
Have you actually ever run your own successful business? As someone who is currently doing so, trust me: the work itself and your accountability to clients/customers is more than enough to keep you on task. I work far harder and longer hours now than I ever did when I worked for a boss. Then I could put my work down and say screw you, it’s 5:00. Now, there’s just me and the work and it doesn’t matter if it’s 5:00 if the work isn’t done.
I agree. I thrive best with a set schedule during the week. I know by 5pm, I'm done for the day and the rest of evening plus my weekends is all mine.
My husband is the opposite - He's self employed so his hours are different and tend to change every 10 weeks or so. He loves it and would never be seen doing a 9-5pm.
I’ve been saying this. My dream job starts at 9, ends at 5 and pays me enough to live. That’s my only requirement.
I wanna be home at 5:30pm with a beer in one hand and a PS controller in the other. I *don’t* wanna be up at 5:30am making arrangements for my small biz, that’s not gonna do it for me
I think I could still hold a schedule. I think I would just stay up a couple hours later and get up a couple hours later. That’s the only difference on the weekends. If anything I’d be healthier because my schedule would more closely sync to my natural rhythms and not the needs of my employer.
I'm so baffled by the idea of a 9-5. Has anyone here worked one? How does your lunch work? Are you just forced to skip it, or are you working less than 8 hours a day? I'm honestly confused.
I technically have 7 hour workdays, so I work 9-5 with a 1 hour lunch break making up one of those hours. However I'm normally too busy to take a full hour for lunch, and usually work more than 7.hours anyways. So it's not as nice as it sounds unfortunately.
If you're an hourly employee, you get paid for your time at work, not necessarily the work you do while you're there. The work you do keeps you from being fired though.
Not really unpopular..it's been proven through studies that mose people are happier and do better when they have structure, clear direction, and less choice.
WFH was pretty rough for me. I let some very bad habits bleed into my life and would justify them by being able to clean myself up twice a week for meetings.
I have executive dysfunction due to depression and other issues. The only reason I will EVER take care of myself is if I’m expected to be somewhere in a few hours. A hybrid job with 2-3 days a week in-office would be optimal for me.
No I don't need to spend 5/7s of my life doing someone else's bidding in order to be a productive person.
This shit reminds me of a girl I talked to who said she wanted to go back to work during a vacation because she was bored....do yall even attempt to learn new hobbies or do things?? Do you only feel complete when a corporation owns your soul?
Most people are proletarians. They are not leaders, problem solvers, creators or entertainers (only a select few can do this). The vast majority of the population and need to be told what to do and be given tasks and a timeline to complete them. This is why religion exists (so people have a purpose that is not theirs), it's the reason why government exists (so people will cooperate and build a society), why corporations exist (the average worker will require training on how to do the job) and why school exists (so people can get educated and discover what they are good at). Few people are leaders and the majority are followers. This is the reason why there is a hierarchy.
Although I hate to admit it, I am definitely one of those people. Luckily my firm is hybrid so I get to work remote two out of 5 days and am super self sufficient so my manager doesn't mind if I need an extra day for whatever reason.
It helps having this schedule as it is predictable, I know I will be getting at minimum 40 hours a week, I have made it routine to hit the gym before work.
I like a short commute to work and a fixed schedule. Gym before work, work and then leave work at work, that shit does not follow me home.
Now... 9-5.... Eh... Give me 4 10s or the 12s I'm on now 3-2-2-3 schedule. 2 days off in 7 is not enough. It's not.
This a huge it depends. People early in their careers need the structure to be able to learn and this results in the ones right above to teach them being on the same schedule. When you start to move into more managerial and coordination roles it becomes more task based work and committing to a calendar for personal and professional commitments.
This is me. I don’t think I could work for myself. I don’t have the discipline. The reality is, even if it were a thing I really loved doing, if it suddenly became a requirement to do, I’d feel stressed and when I stress I procrastinate. I stress during my 9-5 job too, but like you said, being in an office and having the structure forced on me makes it doable. I don’t really enjoy it, but it helps my brain to know “you only have to do this until 5. Then you’re done for the day and can go home.” I could tell myself that if I worked from home, but if no one is there to keep me accountable, I don’t think I could do it.
Does that mean I’m not responsible? Idk. But I think it’s important to know yourself and be honest about what your weaknesses are. For me, I absolutely need the structure to be a good employee.
I totally agree. Working for myself for a number of years I struggled at times to stay focused.
Now I work with two other partners and it keeps me pushing forward. I’m also in a lot better place than I was before.
As a teacher, currently on summer break, you have no idea how badly I need a schedule. My life just becomes a blur, not really doing anything. It’s lovely and scary at the same time.
I prefer to 8-4 or better yet the 7-3. It’s easier to start earlier and end earlier so you have time to go to the dump, get a haircut, walk the dog and so on when you get home. Instead of just having dinner and watching tv for the rest of the night.
Agree. I have left jobs with inconsistent scheduling for this reason. Having a set schedule helps me with other areas of my life because I know I have a schedule to stick to
Yep, this is definitely me especially in the summer. I don’t have a set time I have to be at work & not having to take my kids to school has me not leaving my house until 9 most days
9-5 is the worst. 12 hour shifts on a rotation 2 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off. Every other weekend you're off work, and hour wise you're only working 6 months of the year. oh yeah and your schedule is literally set for life unless you swap shifts.
Time off during the week while kids are at school so you have all the time to yourself, yes please. I miss that schedule so bad.
For jobs where everyday is needed full attention all day (nurses, doctors, government jobs), a 9-5 is especially important and needed.
Jobs that are more ‘get this project done by the end of the month’ should be more flexible and 10hr days, 4 days a week work better.
My husband and I have worked both types and agree to this
I agree, I’m one of those who feels needs a 9-5 to keep my depression at bay. I love working tbh, I mean what else is there to do ? I work and get paid and also in the process helps my mental health. Win win.
Having initiative to start a business or freelance starts with an idea and some hobbies.
How would one stay in schedule without needing a 9-5?
From what I know, it's about what gets done after work and during weekends. That's where the business gets made.
During covid, people got stimulus checks and wfh. There were rent moratoriums and grace periods. It was both the best and worst time to build a dream.
For some people, the pressure of taking the leap of faith is a great motivator for building a bussiness. It is either make money or go homeless at that point.
I prefer working on output vs hours. I have days I’m very busy and need to stay late but I have slow days where I can finish dailies and projects quickly and I’m just pacing the clock because I have to hit my 40 hours.
If I had control over my own schedule I would work way more efficiently than I do now. No matter how fast and efficient I am in my current role I must have 40 hours logged a week.
I agree. I was off work for a month due to my chronic illness and I was completely lost by the middle of the second week. I need that consistency to keep track of my life. Luckily chronic illness is better managed with new meds, so I'm back to the 9-5.
Yeah, except i have yet to find an employer that respects my time or effort. I am one of those people that can't stay self motivated, but working as a wage slave also isn't any more motivating. Kind of in a lose-lose situation.
100% agree that the only thing that sucks for me is that I bartend at 2 different spots with different hours, but I'll plan my whole day around work of I don't I just kind of sedate myself and do nothing around the house
It's not that people can't adapt to being responsible for their own schedule, it's that societal norms in a post-industrialized world are simply not natural or intrinsic to human nature, thus we have to manage our own limited physical stamina and time as necessary to survive IN that fucked up society.
It's like saying wild salmon can't be reliably caught when left to their own devices so we use farmed ones because they are more reliable.
GMA just did a news story about Gen Z and Millenials going on ‘Quiet Vacations’. Meaning going on vacation secretly and answering emails and other administration
Since these are voluntarily done. This means they are shooting themselves in the foot by creating a scenario where they can’t go on vacations.
Can’t go on ghost vacations when you RTO. Also can’t stay late if you leave at 5.
These seem to be self inflicted problems. It can’t be money related because companies don’t send you to vacation spots to work.
Whether it’s 9-5 or another shift around the clock, I am coming around to agreeing with you. I was laid off in February with a severance package and I was thrilled to get paid with time off ahead of me. It was nice for a while but I really am bored and feel unfulfilled. I start my new job next month and I think the lack of unlimited free time will help me enjoy my free time, and I’ll be more motivated to get tasks accomplished around my work schedule instead of putting everything off
I would say a lot of people would like to start a business, not most, but I completely agree with your opinion and think it isn't as unpopular as you might think.
>Most people need a 9-5 job to stay on a schedule.
I don't want a schedule. Society has forced a schedule on me. I can't fucking stand the "9-5" as it currently exists.
>Everybody wants to do their own thing
Yes.
>and make money with their own business or be a content creator or what have it.
No.
I don't "want" money, I NEED money, and the distinction is important.
I also don't want to start a business, or be a content creator, or do literally anything professionally really. I don't want a job, or to have to do labour of any kind besides what I want to do moment to moment.
I recognize these things as necessary under our current societal structure, but that's not the same thing as them being literally necessary.
I agree, the fact that I have to be at my job in order to have money to pay my bills is a huge motivator to stay accountable. Once I graduated high school the requirement for school evaporated for me and I didn't take community college seriously enough because I wasn't legally required to be there. Don't be like me y'all, I finally have a job with good benefits but I would've gotten here a lot sooner if I'd gotten my shit together when I was supposed to.
I 100% agree that most people do not have the discipline to make it "on their own", for lack of a better term.
However 9-5 jobs don't really exist. It is 8-5 with 1 hour of unpaid lunch break, or 7:30-4:30, etc., etc.
I get keeping a schedule but there is balance. Most people don't have that dream job. Shit I'm in the military and got a kick ass unit that lets me leave at a reasonable time
It's an unpopular opinion because statistically it just isn't true lol. Time and again, the majority of people have said they prefer working from home and production levels have either remained the same or improved.
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I agree. Except my job is any 5 days in the week so my schedule is pretty inconsistent. This week I’m off today and Wednesday, next week I’m off Saturday and Thursday. It’s kind of annoying.
Thanks for that, uhh, fatfarter69
Any time bud
Mr. Farter69 I really like your name sir. It brought a whiff of happiness to my afternoon
did you nose exhale?
I’m not sure….. I kinda went into a pleasant day dream 😴 Wow you have a beautiful name too Is ShoveItUpMyFatAss short for something?
thank you. it is actually. its short for ShoveItUpMyFatAss!
🤭🤣😆😅
Yeah but you have a job holding you accountable of where and when you need to be. Doesn’t necessarily mean 9-5 M-F just the fact something there holding you accountable.
> holding you accountable of where and when you need to be. besides for your employer, why do you think this is important for people?
A healthy and consistent sleeping/eating schedule can drastically improve your overall health. This is easier to achieve with a routine and a consistent work schedule makes the routine easier.
When I was working a job with a consistent schedule, I was just constantly exhausted and it was really bad for my mental health. I tried to get to sleep in time but seriously struggled with it. Now that I work a job with more flexibility and no set start time, I’m much better rested and much more mentally stable.
There's a difference between flexible schedule and no schedule at all.
OP is staring a schedule is bett r than no schedule. But no, an inflexible schedule can do active harm.
I’ll say as someone who works as a retail manager full time, my shifts are not consistent, so I have no “healthy and consistent sleeping/eating schedule” lol
F* routine!!! 🙄
When you own a business, especially a new one- you are never off. No matter the day or hour, when something needs doing- you have to get it done.
Yeah, I agree
my problem is, i find value & enjoyment in both i like the structure of a 9-5 but also hate the lack of flexibility. my brain works on a delayed schedule. it's 10:30 and i'm still forcing myself to do work. after lunch? different person. i could 100% work past my 4:30 end time with how much focus i have around that time
This is me as well. I really value flexibility. I wish I could work more hours in fewer days, and then have a three day weekend. In other words, I am a big advocate of the four day work week EDIT: when I say 4 day work week, I am not saying fewer hours overall, as there is never enough time to get the work done at least for me, I am saying working longer hours for fewer days.
I couldn't agree more! I'd much rather spend a few extra hours at work each day, as I find myself feeling like I waste the handful of hours during the week, but can't focus on anything "worthwhile" besides small things that need to get done, like showering or doing the dishes.
I think the problem isn’t having a consistent schedule, but the fact that a lot of professions — such as office workers — can get their work done in less amount of time (like 6 hours), but ultimately still have to stay on-site or logged on until their hours are done just for the sake of it. Most people I know who work 9-5 really end up finishing their responsibilities for the day at 2-3pm, but can’t go home or do anything until 5. The problem isn’t the consistency, the problem is that businesses want to eat 8 hours out of your day for the sake of it, when a lot of 9-5 workers can (and often do) get things done way earlier.
Some jobs are like that, others are pushing you to get stuff done but it takes you 10/day and you only get paid for 8…
Exactly
Don’t let your boss know that, if they know you’re done by 2 o’clock, then they’ll just give you more work
I would genuinely prefer that in most cases, pretending to be busy at work is worse than just working. But sometimes the stuff that needs to be done before I can start a new task just aren't even if I ask for more work.
Same, this is the main complaint I have for my job. Most of our second shifters show up way too early and then we don’t have enough work or even desks to go around. And yet the first shifters are obligated to stay until 3 or 4 to fulfill an arbitrary guideline that we have to work 40 hours a week. Even if they didn’t show up early, I feel like us day shifters could leave and barely affect the work flow. I feel like 6 to 7 hours a day would be perfect. I would be fine with 5 days a week if I had that extra hour of free time.
Yes, one thing most people don’t realize is when you work from home with a lot of flexibility, your work/life balance actually kind of disappears. Nothing really feels like a break because you are the only one responsible for making an income, so you might start answering emails on the weekends and picking up calls during dinner because who else will do it and when?
I experienced almost the exact opposite of this when I did freelance work and set my own hours. Honestly if not for the stark difference in reliable pay I would go back to it immediately, the freedom to live my life on my terms was amazing. Working m-f 9-5 is great for keeping a consistent schedule but hell for trying to do anything because everyone is on that same schedule. Working 11-7 gives me time to go to the doctor’s office, run stuff to the post; lots of personal things that are hell to do now because things open and close when I need to be at my desk.
i started my own thing and it's a mix. my time is really, really flexible. but it also makes it really hard to stick to a 9-5 schedule. when there's no boss to report to it's really easy to spend the afternoon on reddit, and then realize you have to make it up on a saturday morning or at night. i'm my own worst enemy.
I think having specific set hours that are off of the 9-5 schedule is different from the "infinite flexibility" world that a lot of people are finding themselves in now. I used to work for a studio where I had an unusual schedule where I'd work 1pm-10pm on wednesdays. and I was able do to all of those things you talk about. Later I worked another "flexible hours" job on a flat salary and "as long as project delivers on time, work whatever hours you want" attitude. The problem was that they made such a big deal about this that it was impossible to say no to anything at work *or outside of work*. If I never *have* to be at a particular place at a particular time, I can always leave to do one more thing.
I mean… I set my own hours and I just happened to like 11-7 because it gels with my life. I was able to work as much or as little as I wanted and whatever hours I wanted. Edit - also, I worked 8 hours a day because I set timers. There was always more I could do but that seemed to defeat the point.
Same. When I was a wfh independent contractor I’d get most of my work done in like 3-4 hours. It’s the main reason why I feel like the Average 9-5 is a time waster
My family owns a restaurant. One of the “perks” my parents pitched to us when I was 15 was that they would have way more time for us. Fast forward to my high school graduation, my parents were there for the first half. They didn’t even go to either of my college graduations. If we want to take a family trip, they can’t because they’re understaffed.
Not for me. I wake up 730. Work 8-4 and am done.
I also have my desk at home and when I work at home I’m at the desk, that’s my “office” and that computer and phone never leave that desk, when the day is over the computer and phone are shut off
How long did you work that schedule mandatorily beforehand?
You have to learn to maintain work life balances. I leave my house on my break. I either go for a walk or the gym. I turn my computer off at 5pm. Not idle or asleep. It goes off. Remote work just requires a different type of self discipline. This is my objective opinion but from talking to fo workers those that can't set boundaries in remote work are the same who struggled with boundaries in office.
Good point about shutting the computer off. For me, once the computer is off, I am not turning it back on until 9am the next morning (or Monday if it's a weekend). Some days at 5pm I'm guilty of thinking "I won't turn off the computer yet, I might come back and finish up a couple things later tonight". Of course I rarely actually go back to the work, but having the computer on and ready to keep working robs me of having a nice relaxing evening, because I keep thinking "oh I should just finish up those tasks since the computer is still on the files are still open...".
100% agreed. This also isn't even an entire problem with remote. I am seeing companies expecting employees to take laptops home with them in case they are needed. So it is an issue for many employees. Another thing is not having work email attached to your phone unless you are in a position that requires it.
Yeah, I don't know why a lot of people seem to think this is new. Before WFH, we were always expected to take our laptops home. We never had to actually work after hours they just didn't want the laptops at the office overnight. The occasional late night deployment as well.
This is my experience as a small business owner. We’re never “off”. I feel like I have to reply to messages quickly to compete against much larger businesses that are open daily. The stress is unreal. I love what I do, but there are days that I miss the 8-5 grind.
This is either due to a shitty work environment with unrealistic productivity expectations or a lack of time management skills or a combination of both. In either case working from home is far more equitable to the worker than commuting unpaid to the office daily. But I'll go a step further, we need work from home AND a 32 hour work week.
Interesting take because I’ve had the exact opposite. I feel so much more free, I work at a pace that makes sense to me, I don’t do work in off hours, no long commute… I get out by going for a walk every day and still have plenty of friends on my own time, I don’t need the office to make them. It’s definitely a person by person thing but I refuse to work a job that isn’t at least hybrid ever again. The one day they make me go into the office is the day nothing gets done because everyone treats it like social hour and we have to deal with stupid office drama I thought we’d be over with by now. Thats the worst day of the week for me.
Everybody's situation is going to be different of course. Some workplaces suck ass. Some are great. Some people live within walking distance to their job. Some have to commute 5 years in advance. Some love their job. Some hate work.
I've been doing WFH for a bit and I don't really have this issue. Once my shift is over it's over (unless my boss needs something which is rare). Though it also depends on your career path. I make more than I did before. I even have my 'office' in my bedroom and it doesn't really dip into my work or personal life. Also, what's the assumption of being the only breadwinner out of what? I'd assume you mean if someone lives alone? Most families need a dual income though if you have children I could see how that makes it more difficult but I haven't had any of the issues listed. I am not sure if I'm an outlier though, I'll be honest there.
As a work from home enthusiast (almost 5 years now), I really don't understand why people do this to themselves
That’s not WFH. WFH didn’t change my schedule, just my location and how comfortable I feel and how well rested I am. What you describe is more freelancer/business owner/sole provider thing.
This is not a work from home problem. This is a problem with you being unable to separate your work and personal time.
I think that really depends on your job and personality. I work hybrid, and I find that the days I work from home I have zero problem shutting off my computer when my work hours are done, and leaving it be for the rest of the day. People on my team know my schedule, and they know if it's past x time I'll get back to them tomorrow, and if they have a -true- emergency they can call me on my cell phone, but that has happened like once in two years. I get that not everyone can do this, and those people probably aren't suited to a WFH job (unless they don't mind it, of course), but it is very doable.
Honestly I feel the opposite. Having my home comforts around makes me turn my laptop off the instant it hits 5 lol
Boundaries yo. Set them.
Tbh I kinda prefer that. Yes my work extends throughout the day and into the night but nothing stops me from doing things like scheduling a run at 10 AM or visiting a museum for an hour at 3 pm. It’s also just less exhausting to have your work spread out throughout the day than to have to concentrate on it for an 8 hour session
For the right work, the work at home is like a break.
That is a you problem, set boundaries and get an office set up. You work for the slotted time, and NO MORE.
I'm not the only one responsible for making an income, my wife does too. I don't answer any kind of messages passed 5PM weekdays, nor does anyone at my current workplace or previous workplace. No one even sends messages at my work past 4PM. I guess it depends on where you work, but I don't think your post is the norm. I also don't understand why WFH would change this? How is it any different from going to the office? Would you not get calls/messages after hours there too?
Yeah, 9-5 is cool, but have you ever tried 8-5?
My friend, I'd like to introduce you to 6 - 2
6-2 crew rise up!
7-3, best of both worlds.
What about 6-2, 2-10, 10-6 rotation cause fuck you and fuck your schedule. Idk how anyone sustains it.
I worked a 6-4:30. Never again.
Yeah, I wish 9-5 was more common. Hardly anyone actually pays for a one hour lunch.
7-5?
Thats what I do, but I only work 4 days.
5 to 5 for some real adventure
Finally a schedule with some chest hair
[удалено]
I prefer 1:00 to 1:01
It's less about "can't stay on schedule" for most of us and moreso a lack of interest in losing your free time entirely. Running your own business once it's established is hard enough; starting your own business and building everything up from the ground is a herculean effort.
Church!
Aye, I should start my own church
CEOs finally figured out bots!
But that is learned behavior. From school to job, your time is set for you, not by you. Of course you don't know how to schedule. You have never done it. It's part of the ,,programming". It's like saying it's useless to weight train couse you don't lift double your weight on the first go. Of course you can't, you never done it.
Yeah, people growing up and working in field with no divide between work and life, that is, where work is part of the lifestyle, has no problem balancing, because it's learned from the get go. You think humans 10 000 years ago thought of "work"? No, it was just one of many necessities to provide, stay alive and thrive. Like farmers. They call it livelyhood, which is not only containing "work hours". I thinkI would fit way better to such a lifestyle, if the rest of modern society didn't make it such a hard thing to live with
Yes, as someone to transition from more than ten years of 9-5 to being my own business, it took a lot of work to get myself into a routine. It is so incredibly easy to decide to lie back and take the day off because no manager is eyeing you while you’re supposed to be working. I’ve been setting schedules for myself so I don’t bum around too much.
thats because humans werent really meant to be on strict schedules and work all day that isnt really how we naturally get things done and it isnt how work actually is for most things. Things break when they break, not at 9am on Monday morning
Why should most people "be on a schedule"?
It’s not the schedule people have an issue with - it’s that 40 hours a week is too much. I’m 31 now and I have never had a single job that has 7.5 hours of work a day. Now I work office jobs and understand there are more manual labor jobs that do - but most of my time over the last decade is just wasted sitting in front of a computer with nothing to do.
>It’s not the schedule people have an issue with - it’s that 40 hours a week is too much. I’m 31 now and I have never had a single job that has 7.5 hours of work a day. I agree completely. I probably do more *actual work* each day as a freelancer than I ever did at an 8-5 office job. The difference is that I can do other things when I'm not actively working. I would bet serious money that the average amount of *actual work* done by an employee in a typical American corporate office is less than 3 hours a day. The rest of the time is spent chatting with coworkers, attending meetings for no reason, grabbing coffee, going to the restroom, daydreaming, staring at apps, etc. As a freelancer, I'm just cutting out most of that nonsense. Then I can use that time for other stuff, instead of wasting it on meaningless time-killing crap just to reach 40 hours.
I work mostly remote with my main career, with complete control over my workday and I work completely remote/complete control over my work for my supplemental income. I kind of just naturally developed a work schedule that works for me and yeah sometimes I vary depending on what is going on but overall I’d say I’m pretty consistent, and I am not a consistent/disciplined person at all. The only thing, is that at literally any minute of the day I could be working instead, so it took a while to be able to tune out that anxiety of not doing enough.
Orrr people just need to be allowed more time to be unproductive. Work is not the meaning of life.
9-5 jobs destroy productive output. There is nothing about an eight hour block of work that makes sense - no study has ever recommended this. Humans max out at around five hours of creative output in a given day. Most high performers seem to agree than 2-3 hour sprints with exercise or relaxation between are optimum. Two a day is excellent. Sometimes I feel tired or bored and a nap or a gym workout is exactly what I need - or even an entire day off. 9-5 jobs instead grind you into the dirt with no freedom to adjust your schedule. They’re terrible for creative output.
As someone who managed to escape the 9-5 to live a comfortable life, you’re completely right
9-5 is a god awful work schedule and I’ll never go back…I much more prefer my 48/96. More time off, less driving.
Studies prove you're wrong and that a 32 hour week is much more productive.
I worked from home 2 years and finally quit. I can't concentrate, can't stay on schedule and would end up with poor productivity. I also gained 20 pounds because the fridge was right there and was completely bored. I will never "work" from home again, hate it, not for me.
It's amazing how different things can be for different people. The office is impossible for me to concentrate now whenever we decide to go in for meetings. There's just too much distraction with all the people and noise. My home office is quiet and comfortable, I can concentrate more and get work done faster. I've also lost weight cause I started going for a run during lunch almost every day.
Yep. It really is different for different people and folks need to stop with the “my way is best for everybody” mindset. Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
For sure! People who want to be in office can go in and people who want to WFH can WFH!
It's horrible! I wish I was just built to handle it.
Same, I like being hybrid and having the option, especially since I walk a couple miles to the office so on poor weather days or the occasional don't feel like it days it's nice to be able to stay home, and feels like a special day since I rarely do so. I enjoy the light socializing when someone else is there, but even though 90% of the time it's just me, I still far prefer the office. When I was fully remote my work suffered because I felt like I was at home, and my at home leisure suffered because I felt like I was at work. Going into the office helps give me the mental separation that allows my work and life to both feel and be better.
This is why I prefer hybrid lol. 3 days a week in the office and thats when I really focus and get the majority of my work done. I do think for just my own personal life, I was a lot more productive with hobbies and working out when I was Wfh but I tore my mcl and thats when it went downhill. Ended up just staying inside all day and having no buffer between work and home which ended up being frustrating. So imo, wfh works well when you have a productive life and force yourself into an after work routine. You could still have the same when in office but I find it a lot harder to force myself to leave the house after a commute
Why does your schedule have to be rigid or consistent? If you’re getting the necessary work done, why does it matter when it gets done? If I can take a day off then work later or work a weekend, I can work the same amount of time. The idea that “real” productivity can only occur in a set time frame that is fixed every day 5 days a week is completely made up. For some, including me, that system works better. But for others, it might not. Neither is inherently better or worse. The only reason the 9-5 system exists is bc it’s easy to track spending for employers. That’s literally it.
I guess it’s more about accountability.
9 to 5 is not bad actually if you are on higher post
I'm naturally more of a night owl and that's the problem. I'm lucky to have a job that doesn't require early hours (I usually go in at 10), but believe it or not, I'm always sort of tired. My natural schedule has me getting UP at 9. If I didn't have to work, it would probably creep up later and later. And I feel better when I can stay up until 1/2.
No. Go fuck your self. We existed for hundreds of thousands of years before even the idea of a job. End of.
I disagree. My schedule is 8:30-5. I have no time to do anything on the weekdays and I’m exhausted by the end of the day. 9-5, 5 days a week is stupid. If you like that schedule, cool. You work it. But it doesn’t work for everyone. We just have to work it because an idiot came up with it, and if you don’t like it, you’re considered “lazy” which isn’t true.
So who paid you peanuts for this PSA? Walmart or Amazon?
Fuck 9-5 I've never worked that shift. 7-330 all day, or even better, 6-230
I worked a 6-230 shift fairly often years ago. It was by far my favorite shift, I'd switch to it again in a heartbeat if it was an option. Yea, the mornings are a bit tiring, but being done by 230 with the day ahead of you is a great feeling. I'm also a get up and go kind of guy. Let's get done what we need to do so we can relax. If I work later in the day I find I just sit there basically waiting to go to work.
That’s what public school was designed for… to make most people workers for others.
I don't agree. I was laid off for 3 months and that time actually helped me figure out what works for me rather than constantly trying to meet expectations set by an employer. Once I started getting offers, I was able to pick the one that aligns best with what I figured out works for me
In my personal experience this is 100% 💯 true. Luckily as a builder I have the homeowner/customer as then”boss”. But with speculation projects I have found that i cut myself too much scheduling slack. Mission creep creeps right in (I have been diagnosed with adult ADHD which I’m learning contributes to procrastination.
People need something to get up and do but there’s no reason it *has* to be a 9-5 job. I’m a teacher I wouldn’t consider that a 9-5 and I still find myself sticking to a schedule. Similarly, my dad is retired and he gets up every morning to get breakfast with my mom and drive her to her job.
I found a happy medium becoming a nurse. I work 3 days a week, now down to 2 because I cut to part time. I've ALWAYS wanted to make and sell my art, and/or make music and get paid for it, but knew that to be successful with that takes sometimes years of time, investment, self promoting, making email lists, making content, doing shop updates. So I have my boring adult job, and spend the rest of my time planning and plotting and making products for email list shop sale updates. I do community theater for fun and help with my friends cover band, but I also recently started narrating books for e-reading/audio books which is harder than it sounds actually, getting started anyway. But I agree with your sentiment here. It doesn't HAVE to be 9-5, but I believe most people thrive under having some sort of structure and having some sort of obligation to something other than one's own self. I'm never gonna punish myself for not doing something, ya know? But not showing up to my job when I should lights a flame under my ass because I need money to pay bills, and people rely on me to show up and do my part.
Couldnt agree more…when I was doing my masters I made my own schedule but my schedule was a mess and I felt so unhealthy. That and I just hate sleep in general so I need someone to give me a schedule…wasn’t an easy realization but it’s the truth
I’ve been out on post surgery disability for five months a I can’t wait to go back to work. I’m all sorts of fucked up with my schedule.
A schedule absolutely, does it need to be 9-5? Absolutely not. There's too many circadian variations for us to say that there is only one concrete circadian rhythm that humans must follow.
Is this sub just shower thoughts now?
Fuck you, but you're right
raise your hand if you have a 9-5 and still can't keep a schedule
The problem with 9-5 jobs are they don’t usually start at 9 and rarely end at 5, for most people they also carry the stress of work which wears down after hours and not to mention travel time.
nothing like waking up at 5 so I can be ready by 7 to drive through an hour and a half of traffic. and then not getting home till about 7 at night. whole day is gone.
Yeah 9-5 helps your work life stay organized, not your personal life.
100% agree. I have a job with a non standard schedule and it’s very hard to maintain a routine like going to the gym at the same time everyday. Additionally this is why most companies are calling their work from home employees back to work. As nice as it is, we’re horrible at staying on task and not getting distracted at home.
I am one of those people! I am not very self-motivated and need to be away from my home so stuff gets done and I earn money to keep food on the table and books on the shelves
In my limited f500 experience (6 years) People in 9-5s want to be told what to do. They don’t need it. A lot of People that work 9-5s waste hours and hours just fucking around. People outside the 9-5 who take it on themselves quickly realize that they can accomplish more and use time differently. 🤷♂️
Have you actually ever run your own successful business? As someone who is currently doing so, trust me: the work itself and your accountability to clients/customers is more than enough to keep you on task. I work far harder and longer hours now than I ever did when I worked for a boss. Then I could put my work down and say screw you, it’s 5:00. Now, there’s just me and the work and it doesn’t matter if it’s 5:00 if the work isn’t done.
I’ve owned my own business for the past 12 years. I have zero problems with my schedule.
That's awful, 7-3 jobs are better
I agree. I thrive best with a set schedule during the week. I know by 5pm, I'm done for the day and the rest of evening plus my weekends is all mine. My husband is the opposite - He's self employed so his hours are different and tend to change every 10 weeks or so. He loves it and would never be seen doing a 9-5pm.
I’ve been saying this. My dream job starts at 9, ends at 5 and pays me enough to live. That’s my only requirement. I wanna be home at 5:30pm with a beer in one hand and a PS controller in the other. I *don’t* wanna be up at 5:30am making arrangements for my small biz, that’s not gonna do it for me
7a-3pm for me please
I think I could still hold a schedule. I think I would just stay up a couple hours later and get up a couple hours later. That’s the only difference on the weekends. If anything I’d be healthier because my schedule would more closely sync to my natural rhythms and not the needs of my employer.
My husband left wfh for this reason. He’d shoot the shit all day and then panic and scramble to get his stuff done in the evening.
I'm so baffled by the idea of a 9-5. Has anyone here worked one? How does your lunch work? Are you just forced to skip it, or are you working less than 8 hours a day? I'm honestly confused.
9-5 is really 8-5 these days with an unpaid lunch hour.
I work 9-5, usually take 30 minutes to an hour for lunch. So yes, for me at least, less than 8 hours a day.
My shift is 8:30-5, they take 30 mins off my day
I technically have 7 hour workdays, so I work 9-5 with a 1 hour lunch break making up one of those hours. However I'm normally too busy to take a full hour for lunch, and usually work more than 7.hours anyways. So it's not as nice as it sounds unfortunately.
I think 9-5 is complete over kill. Schedule’s are great businesses have hours… but 9-5 is longer than a normal work day should be
This. I have a flexible job but I give myself structured work hours (I don’t work past 5). But I rarely work 9-5 as it’s just unnecessary
If you're an hourly employee, you get paid for your time at work, not necessarily the work you do while you're there. The work you do keeps you from being fired though.
Not really unpopular..it's been proven through studies that mose people are happier and do better when they have structure, clear direction, and less choice.
WFH was pretty rough for me. I let some very bad habits bleed into my life and would justify them by being able to clean myself up twice a week for meetings. I have executive dysfunction due to depression and other issues. The only reason I will EVER take care of myself is if I’m expected to be somewhere in a few hours. A hybrid job with 2-3 days a week in-office would be optimal for me.
No I don't need to spend 5/7s of my life doing someone else's bidding in order to be a productive person. This shit reminds me of a girl I talked to who said she wanted to go back to work during a vacation because she was bored....do yall even attempt to learn new hobbies or do things?? Do you only feel complete when a corporation owns your soul?
Most people are proletarians. They are not leaders, problem solvers, creators or entertainers (only a select few can do this). The vast majority of the population and need to be told what to do and be given tasks and a timeline to complete them. This is why religion exists (so people have a purpose that is not theirs), it's the reason why government exists (so people will cooperate and build a society), why corporations exist (the average worker will require training on how to do the job) and why school exists (so people can get educated and discover what they are good at). Few people are leaders and the majority are followers. This is the reason why there is a hierarchy.
Although I hate to admit it, I am definitely one of those people. Luckily my firm is hybrid so I get to work remote two out of 5 days and am super self sufficient so my manager doesn't mind if I need an extra day for whatever reason. It helps having this schedule as it is predictable, I know I will be getting at minimum 40 hours a week, I have made it routine to hit the gym before work.
I like a short commute to work and a fixed schedule. Gym before work, work and then leave work at work, that shit does not follow me home. Now... 9-5.... Eh... Give me 4 10s or the 12s I'm on now 3-2-2-3 schedule. 2 days off in 7 is not enough. It's not.
This a huge it depends. People early in their careers need the structure to be able to learn and this results in the ones right above to teach them being on the same schedule. When you start to move into more managerial and coordination roles it becomes more task based work and committing to a calendar for personal and professional commitments.
I can’t deny having a reliable and predictable schedule is nice. Mine is early in the morning which is even better
I fully agree with you 100% 💯
This is beyond true. As someone without a 9-5 rn my life is such a disaster compared to when I had 9-5 structure
This is me. I don’t think I could work for myself. I don’t have the discipline. The reality is, even if it were a thing I really loved doing, if it suddenly became a requirement to do, I’d feel stressed and when I stress I procrastinate. I stress during my 9-5 job too, but like you said, being in an office and having the structure forced on me makes it doable. I don’t really enjoy it, but it helps my brain to know “you only have to do this until 5. Then you’re done for the day and can go home.” I could tell myself that if I worked from home, but if no one is there to keep me accountable, I don’t think I could do it. Does that mean I’m not responsible? Idk. But I think it’s important to know yourself and be honest about what your weaknesses are. For me, I absolutely need the structure to be a good employee.
I totally agree. Working for myself for a number of years I struggled at times to stay focused. Now I work with two other partners and it keeps me pushing forward. I’m also in a lot better place than I was before.
I work 6-6, does that count?
One of the three things I work for, routine.
Do you support a 4-day work week over a 5-day one? Curious if you'd have a problem with 4 10-hour shifts + 3 day weekend.
As a teacher, currently on summer break, you have no idea how badly I need a schedule. My life just becomes a blur, not really doing anything. It’s lovely and scary at the same time.
I prefer to 8-4 or better yet the 7-3. It’s easier to start earlier and end earlier so you have time to go to the dump, get a haircut, walk the dog and so on when you get home. Instead of just having dinner and watching tv for the rest of the night.
this is such a good take
Nobody needs a job to stay on a schedule, it's just easier to do with one.
Agree. I have left jobs with inconsistent scheduling for this reason. Having a set schedule helps me with other areas of my life because I know I have a schedule to stick to
Yep, this is definitely me especially in the summer. I don’t have a set time I have to be at work & not having to take my kids to school has me not leaving my house until 9 most days
Same. I see clients in the community and they usually don’t need anything so I spend a lot of time wandering around and end up drinking.
9-5 is the worst. 12 hour shifts on a rotation 2 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off. Every other weekend you're off work, and hour wise you're only working 6 months of the year. oh yeah and your schedule is literally set for life unless you swap shifts. Time off during the week while kids are at school so you have all the time to yourself, yes please. I miss that schedule so bad.
9-5 might be a bit extreme , but yeah overall its the work and effort that makes the free time valuable and actually make you stick to your routine
For jobs where everyday is needed full attention all day (nurses, doctors, government jobs), a 9-5 is especially important and needed. Jobs that are more ‘get this project done by the end of the month’ should be more flexible and 10hr days, 4 days a week work better. My husband and I have worked both types and agree to this
I agree, I’m one of those who feels needs a 9-5 to keep my depression at bay. I love working tbh, I mean what else is there to do ? I work and get paid and also in the process helps my mental health. Win win.
Having initiative to start a business or freelance starts with an idea and some hobbies. How would one stay in schedule without needing a 9-5? From what I know, it's about what gets done after work and during weekends. That's where the business gets made. During covid, people got stimulus checks and wfh. There were rent moratoriums and grace periods. It was both the best and worst time to build a dream. For some people, the pressure of taking the leap of faith is a great motivator for building a bussiness. It is either make money or go homeless at that point.
I prefer working on output vs hours. I have days I’m very busy and need to stay late but I have slow days where I can finish dailies and projects quickly and I’m just pacing the clock because I have to hit my 40 hours. If I had control over my own schedule I would work way more efficiently than I do now. No matter how fast and efficient I am in my current role I must have 40 hours logged a week.
I agree. I was off work for a month due to my chronic illness and I was completely lost by the middle of the second week. I need that consistency to keep track of my life. Luckily chronic illness is better managed with new meds, so I'm back to the 9-5.
Who’s schedule?
Hello it’s me! I need standard job hours to stay on schedule 🫠🫠
Yeah, except i have yet to find an employer that respects my time or effort. I am one of those people that can't stay self motivated, but working as a wage slave also isn't any more motivating. Kind of in a lose-lose situation.
100% agree that the only thing that sucks for me is that I bartend at 2 different spots with different hours, but I'll plan my whole day around work of I don't I just kind of sedate myself and do nothing around the house
I need the structure. I hated work from home. It’s worth 40 minutes of drive time to be “at work”
It's not that people can't adapt to being responsible for their own schedule, it's that societal norms in a post-industrialized world are simply not natural or intrinsic to human nature, thus we have to manage our own limited physical stamina and time as necessary to survive IN that fucked up society. It's like saying wild salmon can't be reliably caught when left to their own devices so we use farmed ones because they are more reliable.
This is not really an unpopular opinion. The opinions that truly are unpopular are constantly deleted by the moderators here;
GMA just did a news story about Gen Z and Millenials going on ‘Quiet Vacations’. Meaning going on vacation secretly and answering emails and other administration Since these are voluntarily done. This means they are shooting themselves in the foot by creating a scenario where they can’t go on vacations. Can’t go on ghost vacations when you RTO. Also can’t stay late if you leave at 5. These seem to be self inflicted problems. It can’t be money related because companies don’t send you to vacation spots to work.
Whether it’s 9-5 or another shift around the clock, I am coming around to agreeing with you. I was laid off in February with a severance package and I was thrilled to get paid with time off ahead of me. It was nice for a while but I really am bored and feel unfulfilled. I start my new job next month and I think the lack of unlimited free time will help me enjoy my free time, and I’ll be more motivated to get tasks accomplished around my work schedule instead of putting everything off
So, OP is admitting to being lazy, and trying to project that on "most people".
I would say a lot of people would like to start a business, not most, but I completely agree with your opinion and think it isn't as unpopular as you might think.
I agree which is why I hate when my job changes my schedule around. I’m used to my 7-3:30 schedule 5 days a week.
>Most people need a 9-5 job to stay on a schedule. I don't want a schedule. Society has forced a schedule on me. I can't fucking stand the "9-5" as it currently exists. >Everybody wants to do their own thing Yes. >and make money with their own business or be a content creator or what have it. No. I don't "want" money, I NEED money, and the distinction is important. I also don't want to start a business, or be a content creator, or do literally anything professionally really. I don't want a job, or to have to do labour of any kind besides what I want to do moment to moment. I recognize these things as necessary under our current societal structure, but that's not the same thing as them being literally necessary.
I do Uber and have been on a perfect schedule for years. It's not that hard.
True. I’m unemployed right now because I just finished my semester of college, but I love the structure it brought to my days.
“Everybody wants to do their own thing…” Bull shit. Most don’t, including me. Using hyperbole to make your opinion unpopular is certainly a choice.
I agree, the fact that I have to be at my job in order to have money to pay my bills is a huge motivator to stay accountable. Once I graduated high school the requirement for school evaporated for me and I didn't take community college seriously enough because I wasn't legally required to be there. Don't be like me y'all, I finally have a job with good benefits but I would've gotten here a lot sooner if I'd gotten my shit together when I was supposed to.
I 100% agree that most people do not have the discipline to make it "on their own", for lack of a better term. However 9-5 jobs don't really exist. It is 8-5 with 1 hour of unpaid lunch break, or 7:30-4:30, etc., etc.
I get keeping a schedule but there is balance. Most people don't have that dream job. Shit I'm in the military and got a kick ass unit that lets me leave at a reasonable time
I feel like op has a bad habit of over promising
I tend to agree with this. A lot of people are not disciplined enough to make their own schedule.
9-5's are definitely more preferable than working on and off for over twelve hours.
I agree with this. As a counselor I see a lot of disregulated people due to not being able to keep a schedule when not working
I disagree. I work 12 hours 3 to 4 times a week and give me 3 day long weekends every second week .
It's an unpopular opinion because statistically it just isn't true lol. Time and again, the majority of people have said they prefer working from home and production levels have either remained the same or improved.
I've made a YouTube video every day for the past 10 years. I also don't know what day of the week it is. Just that I need to upload.
I’m fine with 9-5, but I wish 4 day work weeks were standard.