You always hear the phase “9 to 5” and also the song with the same name. Assuming you include 1 hour worth of breaks (30 minute lunch and two 15 minute breaks), you’re only working for 7 hours a day which comes up to 35 hours a week.
Now it feels like you have to work 8 hours a day (for a total of 40 hours of actual work), plus your other time off meaning you’re really there for 9 hours each day (for a total of 45 hours). Am i looking at that wrong, or did expected times change, and if so, when?
Im fortunate. Work 08:30 - 17:00 with an hour break which I take at 14:00 and we can take mini breaks whenever we want to really. I work from home 3 days and often don’t take the hour and finish at 16:00.
Not to mention commute time, time spent getting ready for work/bed, and time spent sleeping. I don’t consider any of that to be free time.
I work 10 hour shifts, so once you factor in all that stuff, I get about two full hours for myself each day to do whatever I want, before I have to start the process all over again for tomorrow.
USA. Been working 20 years. Every job has been 8 to 5, unpaid 1h lunch, 2x15min paid breaks. :(
Traditionally, a 9-5 included an hour long lunch break and as many coffee/smoke breaks as you wanted.
I get as many coffee breaks in the office as I want but it’s not like I get up, grab a cup and then play on my phone while I drink my coffee for 15 minutes. I get up, grab a cup, maybe say hi to someone as it brews an instant cup, then go back to my desk and drink while I am working. But no one is shadowing down my neck saying I can’t leave my desk until 10:15 and I need to be back by 10:30 or my pay is docked. Freedom and responsibility rather than strict time management and punishment.
We need to strike for slow coffee machines. These instant pots are a tool of oppression!
I think it differs a bit from province to province in Canada, but where I’m at, you can either work 8.5 hours with a half hour lunch, or 9 hours with a 1 hour lunch. It’s up to the employer. 15 minute breaks are paid, but not guaranteed (if it’s busy). Lunch breaks are unpaid and mandatory.