Are you back at work, wishing your weekend could have lasted another day or two?  I’ve long been a proponent of a 3 day weekend, feeling that we need one day for chores and errands, another day for family responsibilities, and a third day to rest and recharge so we can have energy for the week ahead.  Well, researchers from Australia are proving we need even more free time than that!  They’ve found that people over 40 would do best with a 4 day weekend, which would be a 3 day workweek!  They analyzed the impact of working hours on the cognitive abilities of 3000 men and 3500 women over 40 in Australia. Researchers found that working approximately 25 hours a week had a positive impact on cognitive functioning, while not working at all, or working more than 25 hours a week, had a negative impact, showing decreases in memory, verbal ability and spatial intelligence.

It seems those of us workers in the above 40 age group need to find that balance.  We need work to stimulate brain activity and keep us mentally sharp, but at the same time the fatigue and stress which comes from working long hours could potentially damage cognitive functions.

So, just for fun, let’s imagine that you could work fewer days each week but you had to clock 40 hours, how would you manage the time?  Would you shorten your lunch break? Would you come in early?  Stay late? Or are you happy with your schedule the way it is?

More From 92.7 WOBM