Is four better than five?

Over the summer, we thought we'd have a little experiment with a four day working week.

At first we were quite cautious about it, we were worried that our clients might be trying to get in touch with us and would be frustrated if we weren't available. So for the month of July, we decided to have one person 'holding the fort' every Friday. We took it in turns so it was fair on everyone. Shock horror, the studio didn't burn down, the clients didn't leave in their droves and we completed all our work on time... woo hoo!

So for the month of August we bit the bullet and fully closed the studio each Friday. Again, the world didn't end, we met all our project milestones, and again the studio remained resolutely un-singed. And what a huge difference that extra day at home made. We had time to do the things that get pushed to the bottom of the pile, time to finish the little projects that never get finished, time to go for brunch with friends, time to see some art, time to paint a wall, time to go for a bike ride, time to watch a film. We commuted less, spent more in the local economy, used less carbon, felt happier, less stressed and more focused.

And guess what, when we were at work we were more motived, more creative, more balanced… a positive for all concerned including our lovely clients.

As a test it was a resounding success, as a way of working, it’s definitely something we are considering but perhaps not all year round at this stage.