That Work Thing: How Did The 40 Hour Work Week Start Anyway?

Let’s start at the beginning.

Who started the 40 hour work week?

I always thought it was Henry Ford. I was wrong.

It was Robert Owen started the 40 hour work week in Great Britian in 1817.

Henry Ford started it on September 25, 1926. He believed productivity went down after 8 hours a day.

94 years later and we are still 40 hours a week.

My question is this:

Does it still work?

Some believe it does.

I question it.

Is our definition of work still the same and why?

Life was slower and a lot simplier back then.

No internet. No commuting. No cell phones.

We’ve grown. Evolved.

We are busier than ever.

Millions of people whose lives are run by a clock.

I think we should be individually thinking if this works for us.

Does the 40 hour work week work for you?

It doesn’t for me.

If I was working for myself probably.

But since I’m not it doesn’t.

We work instead of listening to our hearts, souls, and minds because we have to be at work.

I’m rambling now.

I guess I’m sick of being tied to a clock and being managed by people who don’t know what they are doing or don’t care about what they are doing.

It’s time we start looking at our work life and see why we are listening to someone else.

Is there maybe a different way?