Fewer time and prolonged term of work in future

How many hours should we work in a week? It is an issue being discussed for a long time.

It has been proven that excessive work increases a risk of sudden death. In Japan, a total of 100 hours of extra work in a month is a standard in which a worker’s sudden death should be relevant to the excessive work, or “karoshi.”

On the other hand, how much can we reduce the working hours? Previously, we worked on Saturday, but now we usually work for five days in a week. In the future, will this work style change?

Carlos Slim, an investor famous as the richest man in Mexico, said that people would be working only three days in a week in the future, at least in the sector where productivity is prioritized. Instead, people will continue to work for more years in the old age. According to him, such work style will be suitable for the aged society. In this policy, elder people can share working with younger people. And they can gain enough experience to be skilled in a particular work because of long-term engagement.

Independent: Mexico's richest man Carlos Slim says we may soon have a three-day work week

His hypothesis seems feasible. Actually, elder people seldom change the job, and they often know broad things around their work.

Life expectation is prolonging in most countries. It will cause an issue of sustainability of pension for elders. Governments are eager to encourage elder people to continue to work as long as possible.

Also, shared working is a topic in the modern society. Diversity in work style has been expanded. Some people would like to devote his life to other things than work. They are glad if more vacation is provided even if it means reduced income.

Some people indicate a more radical form of work. Timothy Ferriss, an American investor, proposes to work only four hours in a week. He calls this lifestyle “new rich.”

Amazon.com: The 4-hour workweek

Tim’s style requires some extent of capital and talent. Noe everyone can work like him. Nonetheless, his words deserve to hear. We are not living for work. Except some entrepreneurs who are sincerely fond of working, work is not an end of life, but a means for living. In the modern computerized society, we have to do fewer things for daily living than in the past. How to spend vacant time should be examined seriously.