When People Work Too Much: Is Working 6 Hours A Day Better?

Is it exhausting to work long hours? Can we shift to working 6 hours a day instead of 8 hours a day?

Businesses may lose money and time due to the effects of working too much. At the same time, workers’ health and productivity levels decline as well.

But regularly, it can feel like a drag for some workers who do it day in and day out. Many people wish they could work fewer hours on a given day.

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UPDATED: JANUARY 29, 2023

Is working 6 hours a day bad?

The idea of working shorter workdays (such as 6 hours a day) had been discussed for a long time. According to my perspective of the world, the views are generally mixed on this issue. Shorter workdays have a wide range of benefits; however, some people state that longer days are necessary to get more work done.

The health and productivity of a worker are two of these benefits. Whether those factors should be taken into account or not, it is worth looking at shorter workdays.

Where are six-hour workdays being implemented? A case study in Sweden

To address the impact of working too much, some places in Sweden moved from adopting eight-hour workdays to six-hour workdays. For instance, the City of Gothenburg (Sweden) conducted a two-year experiment at an elderly care facility. 

Nurses at the facility were working long days and feeling fatigued most of the time. More so, the city implemented six-hour working days to see if this approach would address the nurses’ concerns. 

The goal of this post is to discuss a couple of findings from the Swedish study. Additionally, some shortcomings and thoughts will be discussed regarding the study.

1. Shorter Days: Healthier Nurses
2. Shorter Hours: Less Unexpected Time Off For Nurses
3. Shorter Days: Less Stress, More Energy
4. The Study’s Short Fallings

Shorter Days: Healthier nurses

Although the study lasted for two years ending back in February 2017, some positive results came out of the experiment. The results are noteworthy and should be considered by companies that have similar problems. 

Based on the study, they found that nurses who worked a six-hour workday felt healthier and more active outside of work. According to one of the researchers, Bengt Lorentzon said that “They were less tired, less sick, had more energy coming home and more time to do activities.” 

Nurses took fewer sick days than nurses who worked a typical, eight-hour workday. They slept about an hour longer than traditional nurses. 

For example, the nurses with shorter workdays got about seven hours of sleep, compared to the other nurses getting less than six hours of sleep.

The finding found that the nurses working shorter hours ended up taking fewer sick days- compared to other nurses throughout the entire city of Gothenburg.

Shorter Hours: Less unexpected time off for nurses

Another finding found that nurses who worked shorter days took fewer unplanned days off throughout the year. Based on the study, about less than five percent of the nurses took fewer sick days.

On the other hand, the nurses who worked long days took around 62.5 percent of sick days during the same timeframe. What a big difference between the two groups, that finding is something not to be ignored.

Shorter Days: Less stress, more energy

Additionally, the experiment found the nurses who worked 6-hour workdays did not feel stressed out and were more energetic. The finding suggested that it ties all into higher morale. 

For companies with great reputations, it’s likely their employees will have high confidence in where they work. So employer morale is an essential factor. This case is mainly spot-on when companies take their employees’ needs and well-being as top priorities.

For myself, I felt more energetic and got more done in about four hours of work. Compare it to eight hours or more; it’s incredible to think of getting more done in less time doesn’t sound right. But in some cases, it’s the exact opposite regarding this matter.  

Eric T. Seil (Founder of notimekillers.com)

The study’s short falling

The study only lasted two years at this nursing facility. The city of Gothenburg had run out of funding, so the nurses switched back to a traditional, eight-hour day. 

In particular, one nurse reported feeling more tired when she changed from six hours a day to eight hours a day. If the study had lasted longer, it’s possible it could have saved the facility more money. 

More positive health results could have come out of the study, which may have reliable indicators for more companies to make the switch to shorter workdays. 

Based on the initial findings, it clearly shows that shorter workdays are beneficial for both the employee (health, productivity) and the employer (business costs, saving money).

Thoughts on the study

Myself, I found this study intriguing because I had similar issues in my last few jobs. Working more extended days of work took a toll on my health some days. I was tired of working consecutive days of overtime. 

Even when I worked planned half days, I felt more energetic and got more done in about four hours of work. Compare it to eight hours or more; it’s incredible to think of getting more done in less time doesn’t sound right. But in some cases, it’s the exact opposite.  

On another note, when you cut out time wasters on the job, it can make a difference in how much work an employee gets done. Some companies that have six-hour workdays have cut out easy time wasters, so to focus on more critical tasks. 

Final Words

I can’t imagine someone working at a place where it’s just endless meetings, along with little chit-chat conversations with their coworkers. Unfortunately, this is the case for many workers, and ultimately a reason why they end up working longer days.

Overall, the Swedish study conducted at the nursing facility had exciting results. From reading the research’s main points, the results are mostly positive.

No further conclusions came about adopting six-hour workdays everywhere. But this one study is a good start moving forward. A company that looked at this one study, in particular, could increase productivity and possibly save money.

Your Turn: What do you think about the study?

I would like to know your thoughts about this study in general. What do you think about the idea of a six-hour workday? Do you work at a place that implements shorter workdays?

Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond back promptly.

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Eric is a content writer and the site owner of notimekillers.com. He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. Eric is a firm believer in time freedom, as he believes in taking ownership of time. 

“Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. You can follow Eric on LinkedIn.