# Workin' 9 to 5...or 8 to 4? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043 "2010-04-22T23:05:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/61 "2010-04-23T14:51:14Z")
I own a private practice, and chose to set my hours as 10-7. It works for me most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/62 "2010-04-23T15:08:02Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > A poll to see which set of hours is more common. If neither, feel free to explain in a post. No one in my company works either of those; we’re in a work day for 9 hours, not 8 (one of those is an unpaid lunch, but still). I work 8-5. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/63 "2010-04-23T15:47:02Z")
6:30 to 3:00 My officemate does 5:00 to 1:30 to avoid traffic on the Nimitz and bridges. Our colleague in the next office does 10:00 to 6:30. ---
**Author:** ![little\_bit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@little\_bit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_bit)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/64 "2010-04-23T15:48:02Z")
My scheduled work hours are 9-5. They are not the norm. We normally work through lunch so are paid for it. We also often work overtime at time and a half pay. The glamorous world of video editing. The only thing normal about it are the “scheduled hours”. Realistically, my hours are 8:45am to 6:30PM because 15 minutes of am prep and clients who never realize what time it is until the night concierge comes in to ask if we need dinner. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/65 "2010-04-23T15:50:16Z")
I’ve never worked a 9 to 5 job or an 8 to 4 job. The closest I ever came was usually 8 to 5 with an hour lunch. My current schedule is 10 to 7 three days a week, with alternate weeks being either 8 to 5 two days a week or 8 to 5 one day, 10 to 4 one day. ---
**Author:** ![breaking-reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@breaking-reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaking-reality)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/66 "2010-04-23T15:56:38Z")
I picked 9-5, but I work 8:30-5:30 typically. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/67 "2010-04-23T16:07:34Z")
I don’t work, but when I did I never worked either of the two options. I worked 7-3 as a TA and no specific hours in construction. My daughter has an office job, but she works 8-5. My Mig works from around nine to whenever the job is done, anywhere from five to ten at night. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/68 "2010-04-23T16:11:20Z")
I’d love either arrangement; I typically work 8 (OK, 8:15) to 6 or 6:30. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/69 "2010-04-23T16:18:48Z")
We have normal business hours of 8:00 - 4:45, with a 45 minute lunch. Our hourly employees normally will work this schedule with exception subject to supervisory approval. My hours vary, but typically are 7:30 - 6:00, sometimes I’ll eat lunch, sometimes I won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/70 "2010-04-23T16:21:59Z")
I work 9-5 but I’d _much_ rather do 10-6 or even 11-7. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/71 "2010-04-23T16:29:34Z")
We have flex time. I usually go more or less 9 - 6:15, but it is all over the map depending on when there are meetings. One day a week I have a call at 8 which I can do at home, and I often go to 6:45. ---
**Author:** ![kenner116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kenner116](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenner116)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/72 "2010-04-23T16:30:37Z")
8:30 to 5:30, with a one hour lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/73 "2010-04-23T16:56:38Z")
Neither. I can come in anywhere between 8:00 and 8:30 and leave anywhere between 4:30 and 5, as long as I work 8 hours. Does anyone work 9-5 anymore? 8-5 seems to be the norm now. Damn yuppies. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/74 "2010-04-23T17:10:19Z")
7:30 - 4:30 with an hour for lunch. FWIW, for most of the jobs I have seen in my many years of employment, the standard has been 8 - 5 with an hour for lunch. None of this 9-5 or 8-4 business. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/75 "2010-04-23T17:17:29Z")
7 - 3:30 here. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/76 "2010-04-23T17:48:43Z")
Other. I work on the East Coast for a company that has most people on West Coast. I find it better to do 10 to whenever (depends on day/meetings). ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/77 "2010-04-23T19:32:08Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > 7:00 to 3:30. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/78 "2010-04-23T19:35:04Z")
10 to 5 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/79 "2010-04-23T19:43:26Z")
Whenever I show up + 8½ hours. 'Course these days, I request leave if I show up later than 9:30(AM) so I can get off at a reasonable time. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043/80 "2010-04-23T19:51:56Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > No one in my company works either of those; we’re in a work day for 9 hours, not 8 (one of those is an unpaid lunch, but still). > > I work 8-5. This is how all of my jobs have been, too. 8-12, 12-1 for lunch, and 1-5. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workin-9-to-5-or-8-to-4/537043.md?page=5)