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There’s a reason they call it the daily grind.
Having an eight-hour day might seem pretty standard in any industry, but that doesn’t make it any less challenging to get through. Still, plenty swear by the efficacy of an eight hour workday.
However, this woman and her viral video would beg to differ. Emily Ballesteros, a burnout management coach, explained why the eight-hour workday inherently prevents a healthy work-life balance.
@emilybruth Have boundaries with your work and don’t apologize for them. #boundaries #worklifestruggle #worklifebalance #toxiccoworkers #toxicworkplace
Ballesteros’ major point here lies in the fact that the eight-hour workday no longer has any boundaries. Plainly put, employers have started to expect their workers to respond to emails well into the evening, and sometimes even on weekends or holidays.
The digital world has definitely helped facilitate communication, but that comes at a pretty heavy price. Namely, free time and privacy have suffered all the worse for our much more connected world.
@emilybruth Reply to @iamjoegioia I’m glad you brung it up cuz I’ve been dying to talk about it for a f*ckin hot minute😅 #burnout #cc #40hourweek #fyp #workload
Ballesteros also makes a pretty fair point about the historical context of the eight-hour workday. This standard was established by Henry Ford, who was influential in developing assembly line work.
When Ford created the eight-hour workday, he largely thinking about the manufacturing industry, where set quotas had to be achieved every day. This standard was then transferred over into industries where it literally makes no sense.
Here’s a helpful post from Ballesteros about setting boundaries, or “establishing minimums,” in life and at work.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CF2tcfCFfcI/?utm_source=ig_embed
Ballesteros then goes on to note that this standard was established when many wives were still the primary homemakers. There was no concept of mass-consumerism, social media, or a two-income household.
So, Ford’s eight-hour workday also accounted for full eight hours of rest and full eight hours of sleep. Imagine that in 2021.
What’s your take on the eight-hour workday? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
