Or 10 hours, four times a week.
My state government is contemplating making many agencies switch over to this schedule, to save on the cost of utilities. Mine will probably be one of them. The savings, I predict, will not be huge, but apparently the big-wigs disagree. I’m more concerned about morale–particularly my own. I know only one person who works four-tens and while she seems to says it’s no biggie in one breath, in another she’ll talk about how she never has any time. And she has the lowest workplace morale than anyone else I know.
“Not enough time” is less of a concern for me. I generally have enough time to do everything I want to do now, and I don’t see that changing with a new work schedule. My problem is how to survive a 10-hour workday. Just making it through an 8.5 hours + 45 minutes of unpaid lunch (I work an additional 30 minutes four days a week for reasons I’m about to give) can be a struggle. It takes every grain of my being sometimes not to search the web, visit the StraightDope, or just go outside and play. I predict that restlessness will worsen with a longer workday.
I always leave early on Mondays because I have a standing appointment with a therapist on that day. To make up the lost two hours, I work an extra 30 minutes throughout the rest of the week. It’s hard when it’s sunny outside and I’m just plain tired of looking at the computer screen, but I’ve been able to adjust. But if we switch to four-tens, then suddenly I’m going to have to disperse those 2 hours over three days, rather than four. That’s adding another forty minutes on top of an already unfathomable ten hours.
I know, cry me a river. I would still get Fridays off, and no one is forcing me to go to therapy. But while I’m no longer in the “I’m going to die if I don’t get in any help!” realm of things, I still think I’m getting many benefits from going to sessions. They aren’t expensive for me, and I’m in the process of developing some useful skills that may help my career and adultlife. Anyway, so getting rid of therapy isn’t an option…at least right now. So I’m resigned to working 10.666 hours (which does not include 45 minutes for lunch) three times a week. I can think of much worse situations to be in, but it’s going to take some adjusting to. (Friday appointments are out, since the good doctor doesn’t work on those days).
Oh yeah, did I mention? I’m used to walking seven miles a day. I don’t like the prospect of changing this routine (walking wakes me up in the morning and winds me down afterwards). But I suppose I could make up for the lost mileage on Friday? Or maybe not give it up at all, but just be resigned to having less time to do other things throughout the work week, like investing time into my fledging side-business?
Any advice on how you make it through long workdays? How do you keep from going insane?