Rethinking the Workweek

Eric Marquette

Hello everyone, welcome back to A Dollar at a Time. I’m Eric Marquette, joined as always by the wise and ever-cheerful Kaori Jinsenji. Today, we’re going to shake up the way you think about your workweek—and maybe even your weekends too.

Kaori Jinsenji

Hi friends! I hope your week has been lighter, or at least that some of our previous episodes have helped carve out a little space for you. Speaking of lighter weeks, Eric, do you ever wonder—who actually decided we should work five days, forty hours? I mean, did someone just spin a wheel and say, “yes, Monday through Friday, that’s the dream”?

Eric Marquette

Almost feels that random, doesn’t it? But, if we look back, it’s mostly a legacy of the Industrial Revolution. Factories used to run people into the ground—think six days a week, absurdly long hours. But as machinery got better, there was a push: could we do more with less time? The big switch to five days was really about maximizing output without burning everyone out. Well, in theory anyway.

Kaori Jinsenji

Right. In Japan, after World War II, the culture was “ganbaru”—work hard, rebuild, persevere. My grandmother would always talk about how everyone worked as much as they could, but at home, she balanced all that with kakeibo, that little money notebook. It wasn’t complicated: just jotting down every yen, thinking carefully about what really mattered. She’d say, “We work for the family, but we live for each other.” And honestly, I think her sense of balance from kakeibo shaped the way my family thought about work and rest.

Eric Marquette

That’s lovely, Kaori, and it ties so well into how we look at productivity—both in the West and in Japan. As work hours got shorter, people were actually getting more done, at least when the systems supported them. The Japanese model after the war was this strict, almost heroic work ethic, but as things modernized, they found their own ways to fold in rest and efficiency—sometimes with a little nudge from practices like what your gran did.

Kaori Jinsenji

And the kakeibo mindset—it wasn’t just about saving money, but saving energy. I mean, she taught us: don’t just count your coins, count your hours, too! Where does your energy really go each week?

Eric Marquette

Exactly. So, this workweek we’re all so familiar with? It’s sort of a snapshot in a long experiment. The question is, is it still serving us, or are there better ways to spend both our money and our time?

Eric Marquette

So, let’s dig into this: does less time at work actually mean more gets done? There’s no shortage of companies trying four-day workweeks these days, and not just for the PR bump. I know Japan, Iceland, New Zealand—places that couldn’t be more different—have all been experimenting with shorter weeks recently, right?

Kaori Jinsenji

Right, right! And it’s weird, Eric, how similar some of the results are. Take Microsoft Japan, for example. They tried a four-day week—just for a month, mind you—and productivity shot up by forty percent. People spent less time in meetings, took fewer sick days, and customers were happy. You would think more time off means less output, but it turns out working less sometimes means working smarter, not harder.

Eric Marquette

That’s such a key point. I mean, is financial wellbeing really about putting in more hours, or is it about being more efficient with the time you do work? I used to think burning the midnight oil was a badge of honour, but, like—we talked last episode about resilience and intentional choices. What if, by being more rested, people actually find—what did you call it, Kaori—“spark joy” in their careers and finances?

Kaori Jinsenji

Ha! I knew I’ve been saying “spark joy” too much, but yes. When people are less flooded by work, they get more curious about doing better, not just doing more. Iceland’s study, same thing: fewer hours, job satisfaction up, no loss in productivity. New Zealand had similar results. It’s almost like, when you give people time back, they don’t waste it—they use it to focus and recover.

Eric Marquette

That lines up with what we touched on before about automation, too. Tech takes over the repetitive stuff, but humans bring in purpose and clarity. Maybe shorter workweeks push us to do the same—weed out what’s unnecessary. It’s that classic minimalist move—declutter your calendar, not just your closet.

Kaori Jinsenji

You know, Eric, what’s so interesting is how this isn’t just a work story, it’s a community story. When Japan was rebuilding, neighbours took turns helping—shifts for rice planting, watch groups for kids walking home... It was always, “let’s share the load.”

Eric Marquette

I love that idea—sharing work as a route to equity, not just efficiency. If more companies embrace four-day weeks, maybe work gets spread around a bit more, too. Not just more leisure, but opportunities for others. And there’s mental health in the mix—wouldn’t we all benefit from a breather and more time with family? It’s not “lazy”, it’s... what, “lazily wise”?

Kaori Jinsenji

Yes! And haha—maybe next time we trademark “lazily wise.” But really, when you have more space outside of work, you connect deeper with family, with friends, and with yourself. That aligns with what we always say in kakeibo: choose what adds value to your life. Minimalist saving isn’t about having less, it’s about living well, with enough energy left for what you care about.

Eric Marquette

And you’ve managed to blend that balance even with so many plates spinning, Kaori. Creative work, family, health—how do you manage to not just collapse by Thursday?

Kaori Jinsenji

Oh, trust me, there are days I want to! But it’s the small rituals—kakeibo to check where the energy’s leaking, a bit of meditation, learning to say “not this week” sometimes. And remembering, like my grandmother did, that prosperity isn’t just about money, it’s about having time to heal, laugh, and grow with others.

Eric Marquette

So let’s say you’re on board—how do you actually make the leap to a shorter workweek without chaos? It’s a big change, and I’ve heard some companies test-drive it with pilot programs or just roll it out gradually, maybe starting with a department or two.

Kaori Jinsenji

Yup. And usually the biggest pushback, in my experience, is from management—there’s this fear that less time means less getting done. Staff might worry too—about pay, or seeming less committed. That’s where you need really clear and honest communication, right?

Eric Marquette

For sure. And if things get bumpy, flexible scheduling helps. It’s not “shrink hours for everyone and hope for the best.” It’s more—how do we use the hours we keep to make the biggest impact? Measuring what’s actually working—like, well-being scores, customer happiness, maybe even time people spend volunteering—can matter as much as the old productivity charts.

Kaori Jinsenji

Exactly, Eric! Like, remember how in kakeibo, you look beyond numbers—what did you spend, but also, how did it feel to spend it? The same should be true at work: did the new schedule help? Are people less stressed, or just stressed on different days?

Eric Marquette

Ha, great point. It’s about experimenting and tweaking, not a one-size-fits-all roadmap. The companies that keep checking in with their teams, they’re the ones who see long-term results. You measure success by how much better life feels, not just how much more got done in a spreadsheet.

Kaori Jinsenji

So, once the first experiments are rolling, the real key is changing the culture—teaching managers and team members how to actually thrive with this new flexibility. It’s not just about, “Here’s your new schedule, good luck!”

Eric Marquette

No, you’ve got to bring everyone onboard—maybe with workshops and ongoing training so people learn how to manage time, give feedback, and actually collaborate with a bit less structure. Building those feedback loops means employees feel heard, and managers can spot problems before they turn into grumbling in the breakroom—or Slack channel, nowadays.

Kaori Jinsenji

And feedback really does make or break it. People need to know it’s okay to try a different schedule, speak up if it isn’t working, or share creative solutions. Over time, that open vibe becomes part of the DNA—everyone feels a little more trusted, empowered, and...dare I say it, a little lighter.

Eric Marquette

Spot on. And policies that encourage tinkering—you know, switch up meeting times, test compressed hours, whatever—make a difference. The goal’s to build an organization that adapts, not one that just survives change by gritting its teeth and pushing through.

Kaori Jinsenji

Exactly. When people feel trusted and have space to experiment, you see more new ideas, more ownership, and honestly, more happiness, too. It’s like kakeibo for your schedule: play with it until it fits your real life, not the other way around.

Eric Marquette

Couldn’t have said it better myself. I think that about wraps us for today, Kaori. Want to do the honours?

Kaori Jinsenji

Absolutely! Thanks everyone for joining us. Remember—a shorter workweek isn’t the whole answer, but it’s a powerful question for anyone who wants more life in their week, and more intention with every dollar and hour. We’ll be back soon with more gentle money wisdom. Eric, thank you for another fun chat, and take care.

Eric Marquette

Pleasure as always, Kaori. And thanks to our listeners for spending some of your precious time with us. See you next time!