It’s an interesting question. I’m at a fairly senior level so aside from meetings I’d say my work is semi-continuous as I think about the problems I’m working on regardless of if I’m at my desk or not. So I don’t really think the “hours on the clock” paradigm applies in one sense.
It’s not unusual for me to knock out a couple casual meetings on Friday morning then just sign off and go for a hike. But again, there’s a good chance I’m thinking about work on that hike. Is that a 4 day week? Is it 4.5? Is it 7? I dunno!
> Is that a 4 day week? Is it 4.5? Is it 7? I dunno!
To me that sounds like 4.5 days–in this modern work environment I see “working days” as days where there is an expectation of availability and/or action. An off day therefore should involve no expectation that you’re reachable, or that you’ll make outwardly visible progress on your projects.
Personally I really try not to work weekends, but some weekend days I’ll have an idea, or feel the need to get ahead of things, and I’ll do some work. I don’t consider myself to have a six day a week job in that case–nobody has the expectation that I’m reachable then or that things on my todo list will be getting checked off.
> I’m at a fairly senior level so aside from meetings I’d say my work is semi-continuous as I think about the problems I’m working on regardless of if I’m at my desk or not.
This is true for me as well, but somehow my boss doesn’t seem to think that way. For the sake of consistency I think we should say time not spent at your desk is time off.
It’s not unusual for me to knock out a couple casual meetings on Friday morning then just sign off and go for a hike. But again, there’s a good chance I’m thinking about work on that hike. Is that a 4 day week? Is it 4.5? Is it 7? I dunno!