What would you do with your time if you only had to work four, three, or even two days a week?
Decades ago, experts predicted we would all be working just 14 to 15 hours a week by now, and would have so much free time, we wouldn’t even know what to do with ourselves.
Instead, U.S. workers have been stuck with the official 40-hour workweek — or even longer for many of us — since 1938, in order to finance our ever-expensive lifestyles.
The predictions: Back in 1930, renowned economist John Maynard Keynes predicted technological advancements would mean we would all eventually work just 15 hours a week. That same year, evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley predicted the two-day work week. Both men warned that someday, we would have so much leisure time, we would be bored out of our minds.
I – Word Understanding
Evolutionary biologist – expert studying the process of change and development of living things
Technological advancements – improvements and progress in technology
II – Have your say
1. Technological progress has made workers more productive than ever before. But why are we still working 5 days (or more) a week?
2. If you had a choice between a longer weekend or more pay, which would you choose?
