The question of whether a 45-hour work week is sustainable is being asked by a growing number of full-time employees. The traditional baseline for full-time employment has long been 40 hours, a standard woven into the fabric of the modern labor market. Adding an extra five hours shifts the work-life dynamic, prompting an inquiry into the true cost and reward of the extended schedule. Analyzing this difference requires looking beyond the immediate paycheck to understand its long-term effects on career performance and personal well-being.
Benchmarking the 45-Hour Week
The 40-hour work week is a relatively modern construct, formalized in the United States in 1940 after a decades-long push for labor reform. This standard typically breaks down to eight hours per day over five days. The 45-hour week represents a 12.5% increase over this standard. Globally, the 45-hour week is situated slightly above the averages of many developed nations; for instance, the average weekly hours worked in many OECD countries hover closer to 37 hours. However, in certain global contexts, such as South Africa and Turkey, 45 hours is the established norm. This schedule is also often considered a lighter commitment in high-demand fields like investment banking, law, or tech startups, where 60-hour weeks are sometimes common.
Legal Status and Compensation for Extra Hours
The financial reality of a 45-hour week depends entirely on an employee’s classification, which in the United States is governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The law divides employees into two groups, determining how those five extra hours are compensated.
Defining Non-Exempt Status
Non-exempt employees are those who are eligible for overtime pay under the FLSA, regardless of whether they are paid hourly or on a salary basis. For these workers, any time worked beyond the 40-hour federal threshold must be compensated at a rate of at least one and one-half times their regular pay rate. A non-exempt worker on a 45-hour schedule is legally entitled to five hours of this premium pay, making the extended week financially beneficial.
Defining Exempt Status
Exempt employees are generally salaried workers who meet specific duties and salary tests, making them ineligible for federally mandated overtime pay. An individual classified as exempt is paid a fixed salary regardless of the number of hours worked, meaning a 45-hour week provides no additional compensation beyond the agreed-upon annual rate. For these employees, the extra five hours are considered a part of the professional expectation to complete the job, effectively lowering their hourly wage compared to a 40-hour schedule.
Global Variations in Overtime Rules
Overtime rules vary significantly outside of the US, often establishing different thresholds for when premium pay begins. Many European Union countries are guided by the Working Time Directive, which sets a maximum average work week of 48 hours, including overtime, though individual countries like France have a lower 35-hour threshold before overtime applies. Conversely, labor laws in some other nations, such as India, establish a standard work week closer to 48 hours, meaning a 45-hour week falls within the regular pay scale.
The Diminishing Returns of Extended Work
The assumption that adding five more hours to the work week guarantees a proportional increase in output is contradicted by numerous studies on productivity. This economic concept of diminishing returns indicates that past a certain threshold, the quality and quantity of work produced per hour decline sharply. Research suggests that for many cognitively demanding tasks, output quality and efficiency begin to drop significantly once a worker exceeds 40 to 50 hours in a week. This reduction in efficiency is often linked to the onset of decision fatigue, where the quality of choices deteriorates after a long session of decision-making. Error rates also tend to increase, potentially requiring more time later to correct mistakes made during fatigued hours.
Impact on Mental and Physical Health
A sustained 45-hour work week, especially when combined with a demanding commute or family responsibilities, introduces a measurable strain on both mental and physical health. The reduction in personal time makes it challenging to engage in restorative activities, which are necessary to counteract the effects of a longer schedule. This erosion of work-life balance can lead to a chronic state of low-level stress and fatigue.
Physical health risks begin to accumulate as work hours extend beyond the standard. Working more than 45 hours per week has been linked to an increased long-term risk of cardiovascular disease. The sustained stress response from a longer work schedule can contribute to sleep disruption and make it difficult to maintain healthy habits like regular exercise or consistent, nutritious eating. Mentally, the pressure of a 45-hour schedule can accelerate the path toward burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment.
Strategies for Managing a 45-Hour Schedule
For those whose careers require a consistent 45-hour commitment, managing the schedule effectively is about maximizing output during work time and prioritizing recovery outside of it. A structured approach to the workday can help mitigate the effects of diminishing returns and protect personal time.
Time-blocking is one strategy, which involves dedicating specific, non-negotiable blocks of time to high-priority tasks on a calendar. This technique forces focused engagement with work and prevents the extra hours from being absorbed by low-value activities like checking email.
It is also beneficial to implement a strict “shut-down routine” at the end of the workday, which signals to the brain that the shift is over. This routine might include finalizing a to-do list for the following day or clearing the desk, allowing for psychological detachment from work. Setting firm boundaries around the extra five hours is important, which means clearly communicating availability to colleagues and resisting the urge to check email or work at home outside of the designated schedule.