There's a growing campaign to introduce a four day week. According to surveys first carried out in 2014, to increase productivity, we need to start working a four day week. The added benefit being it reduces stress levels and absenteeism across the workforce.

This sounds like a great idea. Who wouldn't want to work a four day week and have a longer weekend. The reality is that most people only function at 60-80% of their productivity in their working day. Interruptions, distractions and wasted time add up to 1-2 hours every day. Up to one day in every five could potentially be 'wasted'. If you increase your productivity, you would get the same amount of work done in a shorter amount of time. Working 4 days instead of 5 days or longer.

There's a lot to be said for reducing working hours. Here in the UK we have some of the longest working hours in Europe. This is linked to increased stress levels, sleep issues, and reduced productivity. Poor productivity has an impact on our overall health and wellbeing and increases the impact of sick leave.

With an increasing workload and more demands on our time, many people work far longer than their standard or contracted working hours. Employees shouldn't have to work more than 48 hours in a week. This was enforced in many countries and has been adopted as good working practice, discouraging managers from contacting their employees outside of working hours. There are of course sectors and environments where this doesn't apply, where people don't have control over their own hours.

I've spoken to and worked with people who were regularly working 80-100 hours each week. Work takes up their evenings and weekends, even their holidays. Many people in senior positions are often expected to work long hours, sacrificing personal and family life for work and career.

How much time do you think you waste in the average working week?

Perhaps you have too much to do, juggling too many different projects and responsibilities. You spend time switching between tasks or you're frequently distracted or interrupted throughout your day? All of this reduces your productivity.

I've had this aspirational conversation with people before. They want to work four days a week but don't see how they can do it with their current workload or within their chosen career. Make it a choice. Work expands to fit the time available. If you choose to work four days, you'll organise your work to fit into the four days rather than five.

How to work a four day week

Here are a few ways to achieve a four day week.

• Flexible working. Decide to work the same amount of hours but limit it to four days and have the fifth day off.  It does result in longer working days but you have an extra day in the week to do as you wish. Some businesses offer this as part of flexible working but it wouldn't work for everyone. Spend more time with family and friends or exercising. Choose to get tasks done during the week and free up your weekends.
• Plan and prioritise the time you have more effectively, improve your productivity over four days. Reduce the distractions, interruptions and wasted time to get the same amount of work done in four days rather than five.
• Working from home. With more and more people working from home, they can be more productive away from the distractions of a busy office. Get back the time you spend commuting and be more flexible about when and how you work.
• Simplify. Too often we're unproductive because we take on too much. Do less and it's easier to fit it in to the time available rather than the other way around. Delegate or outsource work to free up more of your time for the important work you need to focus on.

Greater control and flexibility about the hours we work leads to a happier, more motivated and productive workforce.

Reduce wasted time, increase your productivity and start focusing on what's important and you too can reduce your working hours.

Get in touch to find out ways to reduce yours.