# Poll: Working 9 to 5. Or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2004, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956 "2004-11-04T11:30:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/1 "2004-11-04T11:30:03Z")
On the way home from work I listen to the top five at five on [wcyy](http://www.wcyy.com) if I’m out late enough to hear it- usually if I’ve stopped to shop first. A few days ago one of the DJs mentioned shortly before the countdown that there were only a few minutes left to “most people’s” work day. That surprised me a little, since although I know that 9 to 5 is a common concept in songs, I myself have never had 9 to 5 hours, and off the top of my head can’t think of anyone who goes into work that late either. So, what hours do you work, assuming you have to leave home to get to your workplace? My own hours begin between 7:30-8am (depending on what I’m doing a given day) and usually end at 4pm, with occasional meetings until 4:30pm. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/2 "2004-11-04T12:15:58Z")
when I’m not travelling, it’s in the office anywhere between 7 and 8:00 am, lunch at the desk, no breaks and out around 17:30. When I’m on the road, it’s out the door by 6:00 am and usually very full days followed by enterataining customers until around midnight. In another time zone, it’s even better, as I get to do both my day job and my travel job ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/3 "2004-11-04T12:42:22Z")
11:30 at night until 7:30 in the morning. In a dim basement. One sunny snowy day I walked out the door and was literally knocked down by the pain caused by so much brightness. Nassty yellow face…it burnss usss… ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/4 "2004-11-04T12:48:49Z")
I’m usually at work anytime between 7-8 AM and off anywhere from 4-8 PM or later depending on what’s going on. On the plus side, when thing’s are a little slow (HAH!) I can take off earlier. The “set time” for my job is 8:30AM-5PM with an hour for lunch. What a joke! ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/5 "2004-11-04T12:49:49Z")
7:30 - 9:00 to 5:00 to 6:00. And an hour lunch. ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/6 "2004-11-04T12:55:01Z")
I work 9 to 5, except I don’t take my 45 minute lunch, so it’s more like 9 to 4:15. ---
**Author:** ![blinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@blinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinx)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/7 "2004-11-04T12:58:54Z")
9-5 here, never had a job where I didn’t have those hours. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/8 "2004-11-04T13:03:52Z")
I work 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday. I like this better than 9:00 to 5:00 as I beat the morning and evening rush hour commutes. ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/9 "2004-11-04T13:05:07Z")
Yep, I’m a 9-5er too - although working in a flexible environment so normally it’s more like 8.30 - 4.45ish… ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/10 "2004-11-04T13:10:08Z")
I work 10 to 6, or 11 to 7, depending on whether the bus was late _again_. Sorry about all of you folks who have to drag yourselves out of bed before the sun comes up! Not! ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/11 "2004-11-04T13:13:52Z")
Nope. 6:30 to 4:30, usually. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/12 "2004-11-04T13:15:21Z")
I currently work 8:30-4:30 (8:30-4 in the summer), though I’m usually in by 8. My previous job has the same hours, but before that, it was a straight 8-5. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/13 "2004-11-04T15:32:57Z")
9 to 5. This is the first job I’ve had where I had these hours, and I’ve been here three years. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/14 "2004-11-04T15:48:15Z")
08:30-17:00 nominal variable 07:00-09:30 to 16:30-20:00 actual typical 06:30-03:00 next day, site visits (field work) ---
**Author:** ![AsecretK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ab992/32.png) [@AsecretK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AsecretK)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/15 "2004-11-04T16:04:15Z")
8:30am to 5pm, but I am usually at work before 8am ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/16 "2004-11-04T16:12:34Z")
So, are those of you who are true 9-5ers not really working a full 40 hour work week? Or are you getting paid lunches? ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/17 "2004-11-04T16:13:10Z")
I like to do 7-4, or 7:30-4:30 if I can’t kick it in gear in the morning. 9-5 as a concept slays me, because it doesn’t provide any lunch break. If you in fact _are_ taking a lunchbreak in there, you’re not putting in your full 8 hours. Not that I’m nitpicky or anything. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/18 "2004-11-04T16:22:33Z")
I work 8 am until 5 or 6 pm, depending on how crazed things are around here. I worked a job one time that was 9-6, with the extra hour covering a mandatory 1 hour lunch–does that count? I would have loved to do as Martiju said, and just skip the lunch and whack the time of my workday. An hour for lunch? I can eat in 10 minutes, and the rest is just wasting time I could have to myself later in the day… ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/19 "2004-11-04T16:34:53Z")
I work from 7:30 to 5:00, sometimes later. But I’m on a flexible schedule, so I get every other Friday off. This is the best schedule I’ve ever had. I get to work before ruch hours starts, and every other weekend is a three dayer. Sweet. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956/20 "2004-11-04T16:35:54Z")
Of course that should be read “Rush Hour”, not a lame attempt at a far east accent. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-working-9-to-5-or-not/272956.md?page=2)