The 4-Day Week: Part Three - What Would You Do With Your Extra Time?

What would you do with your extra time? 

Well, having given it some thought, I would prioritise animal husbandry! Joking apart, my family and I keep and care for some ex-battery hens, so the work involved in providing them with a happy home would not need to be a ‘Saturday job’ anymore. I would also have time to explore some interesting, new walks with our dog, Axel. I could increase the amount of sport I play, step up my running and yoga sessions, join a tennis club, or maybe even learn a new sport completely.

My social life would dramatically change due to the extra day as usually, I spend a lot of my weekend transporting our three teenagers to where they need to be. I would be able to find the time to see old friends that I just do not see enough of, I could make new friends, spend more quality time with my wife and other family members, even take more trips to places yet to be discovered. Departing home on Thursday evening and coming back late on Sunday night, would mean a decent-sized mini-break.

I think, for many people, they would want to stay where their favourite place is, their home. It could mean a surge in home improvement undertaken by homeowners themselves, as people use some of their extra time at home to undertake projects that accommodate changes to their lifestyle. Or it could, of course, be the opposite and we would see a huge increase in people valuing their free time, employing professionals to carry out improvements.

An extra day would allow for time to work on personal projects, new experiences, learning something new, or simply returning to previous hobbies that have been on hold for so many years due to lack of time. We might also find the enthusiasm for joining the famous ‘5am Club’ that promises the ability to accomplish epic results through an early-rising habit!

Could an additional day help deal with the current pension crisis? Most people work until their mid-60s then retire to take the most they can from their pension pot. Instead, having enjoyed a healthier work-life balance, they might be able to retire earlier and switch to part-time work, therefore no longer relying on a single source of income. A better work-life balance and having more free time could also allow entrepreneurs to test the water with a new business venture or a side gig that they have always dreamed of, at no cost to their wellbeing.

Imagine you had an extra 40 days’ worth of more time available, what would you do?