Week 20: How many hours do you have to work in a day?

Ideally, four-hour workday.

I don’t know why, but this question has been lingering in my mind for a while. So yesterday, out of nowhere, I decided to keep a detailed record of the exact timings I did everything. Here’s what I found.

A Day in My Life

Morning

• 8:30 a.m. – Got up and cooked breakfast
• 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast
• 9:30 a.m. – Reading [1h]
• 10:30 a.m. – Writing [30mins]
• 11:00 a.m. – 10-minute break
• 11:10 a.m. – Continued writing [30mins]
• 11:40 a.m. – Nap
• 12:30 p.m. – Cooked lunch, ate, relaxed

Afternoon

• 2:00 p.m. – Work [50mins]
• 2:50 p.m. – 5-minute break
• 2:55 p.m. – Continued working [35mins]
• 3:30 p.m. – 10-minute break
• 3:40 p.m. – Continued working [50mins]
• 4:30 p.m. – 5-minute break
• 4:35 p.m. – Continued working [1h]
• 5:35 p.m. – End to work
• 5:40 p.m. – Workout, dinner, read before bed around 10:00 p.m.

As you can see, I usually spend my morning on reading and writing for about two hours—sometimes more—since I now wake up around 6:30 on average. I work in the afternoon for three to four hours. Ideally, I wish to work just four hours a day.

Is a Four-Hour Workday Really That Little?

You might wonder, what about the rest of the time? Am I doing nothing at all?

No.

I put a lot of my morning time into things I love. That matters. I used to feel guilty after I started my own business. I forced myself to work 9 to 5 like a corporate staff does. But then I realized—I quit corporate for a reason. At the very least, I wanted more freedom.

You may also notice that a lot of corporate work doesn’t require intense focus for more than four hours. Most of the time, people are gossiping, hopping off for coffees, or secretly scrolling their phones. I feel sorry for that kind of working culture. Of course, there are busy days. But on average? I doubt the actual workload.

Here is some info I got from research:

1. The Average Office Worker Is Productive for About 2–3 Hours a Day

• A UK study by Vouchercloud surveyed nearly 2,000 office workers and found that the average worker is productive for only 2 hours and 53 minutes per 8-hour day.
• The rest of the time is spent on things like:
  • Reading news (1 hour 5 mins)
  • Checking social media (44 mins)
  • Chatting with coworkers (40 mins)
  • Making drinks or snacks (34 mins)
  • Looking for a new job (!)

Source: Vouchercloud Productivity Survey

2. Parkinson’s Law: “Work expands to fill the time available”

• This isn’t a formal study, but it’s a well-known idea in organizational psychology.
• The longer you’re given to complete a task, the longer it takes—not because the task is hard, but because humans adjust their pace based on time, not effort.

3. Knowledge Workers Work in Spurts

• Neuroscience backs this up—your brain has a limited capacity for deep concentration before fatigue sets in.
• Cal Newport (author of Deep Work) argues that most knowledge workers can only do 4 hours of deep, focused work per day.

The Power of Living on a Four-Hour Workday

People are afraid of entering the four-hour workday era because they’re scared of having too much time to kill. You may wonder, what do I do in my spare time? I scroll my phone too, if you’re curious. But I get bored with it quickly now—20 minutes at most. I used to scroll for hours without even noticing. I’m not sure when it changed. But nowadays, I don’t enjoy most shows or random reels anymore. I’d rather read or nap.

All these good changes didn’t happen overnight. They built up over time—through movement, through experiments, through small choices. And only now can I see the results: better self-discipline, more positivity, a clearer sense of self.

Tracking My Three Pillars

Last week went pretty smoothly.

1. Books – I read every day and finally got back on track with a digital marketing course.
2. Miles – I did marathon training twice and went on a 10km trail run over the weekend. It was an exhausting week again, mixed of running, powerlifting, and biking. I moved every day and I’m happy with the stronger version of myself I’m becoming.
3. Matters of the Heart – I journaled daily, practiced my ukulele and drama. Oh, I visited a few clients this week—no solid outcomes yet, but I’m confident. Business, I believe, comes from working with better-minded people—not just trading time for temporary bonds or short-term money.

By trying to finish everything I planned within a four-hour workday, I got more time to think about the real matters of my heart.

Looking Ahead with Purpose

I’m putting more weight on business growth and starting to see results. I’m patient. I’m in it for the long game. I believe in consistency.

The new week has started, and I’m blazing forward with each day I get to myself. Life is beautiful when you dare to live it your way – A four-hour workday, let’s go!

To those stuck in the corporate life—who feel your time isn’t your own—maybe it’s time to rethink how you spend your work hours. Don’t waste them on gossip and endless scrolling. If you know what I mean.

Have a good week ahead.