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Do More in Four: Why It's Time for a Shorter Workweek

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An impassioned—and data-driven—case for a four-day workweek.

The five-day workweek is a pillar of modern life, but it isn't backed by science, ancient wisdom, or divine decree. It's simply a relic of the industrial age—and it's time for an upgrade. What if we could be more productive while working fewer days?

Just a few years ago, a shortened workweek seemed like a radical idea. Today, it's a serious strategy being embraced by forward-thinking business leaders, progressive politicians, and a new generation of workers demanding more-meaningful productivity.

In Do More in Four, Joe O'Connor—a pioneer in designing and leading four-day-workweek pilots around the globe—and journalist Jared Lindzon, whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and TIME magazine, present a groundbreaking, data-driven exploration of why a four-day workweek isn't merely possible—it’s necessary in the modern business context.

Drawing on extensive research and compelling case studies, O'Connor and Lindzon take readers inside the organizations that have transformed their work models, improving employee retention, boosting engagement, and driving revenue growth.

Do More in Four is a blueprint for a smarter, more humane approach to work.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 13, 2026

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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Christian.
757 reviews36 followers
January 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the audiobook ARC.

This was a fantastic book. Books about questioning paradigms which are long-held but seldom challenged are exactly in my wheelhouse, and this could prove to be fairly transformative. I am over the moon personally about being part of a generation which is bucking against the unquestioned relics of an industrial age. Especially as a knowledge worker, in a creative field, whose entire value comes from original thought and creative collaboration with dozens of other stakeholders, being bound to an arbitrary 5 day workweek, for 40 hours, from 9-5 (all relics of fights long past, particularly by the Christian and Jewish communities which gave us both Saturday and Sunday off), is radical in an age which has utterly transformed in the last 100 years.

This book was surgical in its analytical approach to the topic. I could see some readers seeing it being 'repetitive', but that's simply because when you approach the same topic from a dozen different angles, be they the 4-day workweek's impact on individual's mental health, the climate, business profit and performance, individual efficiency, health, family equity, parenting and child rearing, social cohesion and others (all of which it has a positive impact on by the way), then it will likely always feel repetitive, even though what it's actually doing is simply pressing the seal deeper into the wax, so that the imprint is sure to last on your soul. I also appreciated how empathetic the authors were to business stakeholders who are to be convinced by these arguments, and framing it as a benefit (in time instead of money) which is a co-authored benefit for workers, by incentivizing efficiency.

I genuinely believe that when looking back in a quarter century and the four day workweek is closer to the norm than not, we will look back at books like this which were at the vanguard of that movement, and thank them for capitalizing on a unique moment in history in which other concomitant movements, such as remote work, are also having their moment in the combined effort to make work... work for people instead of chopping off the best parts of people to fit the mold of the industrial work model.
Profile Image for Shoshana.
28 reviews
April 12, 2026
I'm going to start with the negatives. First of all, 200 pages is too long for this book. A lot of space was spent on redundant summaries and excessive quoting. Quite a few pages end up discussing issues slightly related to the four-day workweek, but were too far removed to be considered relevant. Secondly, a lot of the paragraphs sounded very similar: "According to x study, x percent of respondents said x, while x responders said x..." I personally don't think studies reporting the percentages of the opinions of laypeople are very convincing. Lastly, the summaries were too long and sounded like they were written by a high-schooler.

Now for the positive. The examples and issues brought up were extremely relevant to 2026, for example, the segment about AI. Each idea presented a lot of logic and examples to back it. Also, I really love the cover. I think overall it makes a compelling case for the four-day workweek, but it is much too drawn out.
11 reviews
March 22, 2026
While the concept is intriguing, the book itself felt as though it was a magazine article that was extrapolated into a 200 page book. So much of this book seemed like it started as a bulleted list and was painfully drawn out into unnecessary paragraphs. The research is interesting and the anecdotes across industries were supportive of the research, but the writing of the book itself was a tough read.
Profile Image for Annie.
29 reviews4 followers
November 10, 2025
I loved this book. While it can feel a little dense at times, the authors make a compelling and well-researched case for why the traditional five-day work week, born in the industrial age, no longer fits today’s world. They show how a four-day work week can maintain productivity while improving overall well-being and supporting long-term business success. What stood out most was how clearly they speak to business leaders, making the argument not just idealistic but practical and urgent. It is a persuasive and thought-provoking read that makes a strong case for real change in how we think about work.

Thank you to Harvard Business Review Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Mick B.
149 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 10, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Do More in Four: Why It's Time for a Shorter Workweek builds a solid, research-heavy argument for why the four-day workweek needs to happen. Joe O’Connor and Jared Lindzon aren't messing around here. This is packed with studies, data, and real examples from companies that have actually done this successfully.

The first chunk of the book is basically all data. Numbers, statistics, research findings. They're making the case that this isn't some pipe dream, it's something backed by real evidence. Companies that switch see better productivity, employees stick around longer, and revenue actually goes up. The authors don't just say it works, they show you the receipts over and over.

I really enjoyed the Unilever examples from New Zealand and Australia. Seeing a massive corporation test this out and measure the results proves this isn't just for small startups or tech companies. What I found most useful was learning about all the different ways to actually do this. Some places give everyone the same day off. Others rotate days so the business stays open five days but people only work four. Some companies just shorten each day instead of cutting a full day. There's flexibility here, which makes it feel more realistic for different types of businesses.

My biggest complaint is how repetitive this gets. If you're reading a book called Do More in Four, you're probably already interested in the idea. But the authors keep hammering the same points home again and again. I kept thinking "okay, I get it, move on." This could have been shorter and still made all the same arguments effectively.

The book is really accessible though. You don't need to know business speak or have any special background to understand what they're talking about. That makes it perfect for small business owners or executives who are actually considering this and need practical information with solid research behind it.

Stephen R. Thorne did a good job with the narration. Pleasant voice, academic but not boring. The audiobook worked fine for most of it, but honestly, during those data-heavy sections I wished I had a physical book to look at too. Once it moved into the case studies and how-to stuff, audio-only was totally fine.

This is business-focused, but as someone working in education, I kept thinking about how some of these ideas could apply to schools. It would take serious rethinking, but there are valid points here that go beyond just the business world.

This is a must-read if you're seriously thinking about implementing a four-day workweek at your company. It's thorough and research-backed, even if it could use some editing. Business leaders who want the full picture with all the data will appreciate this, even if it drags in spots.

A well-researched guide to the four-day workweek that proves its case but takes too long getting there.
Profile Image for Ria Marie.
42 reviews
May 29, 2026
When I finally reached the end I found myself saying "thank goodness that's over."

Written as if to seemingly appeal to tech bros, this book was far longer than it needed to be. There were too many examples of how a four-day work week worked for different kinds of brands, organizations and companies that had too much overlap: they didn't like the standard work week, they switched to four days...wow, they're happy. After a certain point, we get it, especially when you apply the same writing formula to your work over and over again. I may have given it one more star had it been more compelling in its writing and far less formulaic. Just because your writing is "data driven" doesn't mean it needs to be presented like a deck.

Along with repetitive examples, belabouring Parkinson's Law and other adjacent, almost cliché concepts like the Pomodoro Technique will make this experience mundane. Unfortunately, there is nothing new or refreshing in this book to offer. This will likely be the case for those who have studied/have interests in disciplines like sociology, anthropology, psychology, or other social sciences that intersect with human resources.

I would have liked to have seen more blue collar examples, too. How do folks in those industries navigate an effort to reach a four-day work week? What if they already work a four-on, four-off schedule? Is that considered a four-day work week? Is there more they should be doing to obtain that work/life balance this book urges us to chase? What about other industries that don't tend to get a lot of attention in books like these? O'Connor and Lindzon had so many examples of marketing, communications, lawyers, architects, advertising professionals, etc., that the balance felt so off.

Ultimately this book reads like a very, very long post-secondary essay. Perhaps if you aren't familiar with how work weeks work (uh...), this is a book for you...? But yeah, not the kind of book that will teach you anything new. I had to laugh when it ended on (and I'm paraphrasing) what was essentially, "OK we told you about the four-day work week, now go make it happen for you and your colleagues!"

I do think this would make a good discussion text for a sociology class...but yeah, nothing groundbreaking, memorable, or compelling here.
Profile Image for Ben.
2,760 reviews238 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 9, 2026
Do More in Four: Why It's Time for a Shorter Workweek

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Being someone who is always curious of the future of what work can look like - this book really outlined a lot of good points and solid arguments towards 4 day workweeks.

I did find that some of the earlier chapters of the book kind-of glazed AI a little more than necessary, but I still found it a good book detailing how technology improvements can, and should, inevitably decrease the need for hours worked - a metric that has long since stuck at 9-5 5 days a week (for most of the developing world).
I also really appreciate how the author took time to describe the great lengths at which employers will attempt to prevent these types of changes, and how to persuade and recommend 4 day workweeks. Not only that, but they also did an analysis on the inflation vs pay vs hours worked and found some really disturbing trends!

I loved the book's cat analogy about halfway through the book that described how corporations are resistant to change, for just "we always do it this way" instead of really looking at the benefits to their employees, the environment, and overhead.

Also, as a Canadian myself, I loved how this book had so many Canadian examples of businesses and employers utilizing the four day workweek.

Four day workweeks seem like a really interesting and compelling business move, and I look forward to the potential future of trying out this work method some day.

Definitely check this book out if you are interested in books like The 4-Hour Workweek or It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work

Definitely check it out!

4.8/5
Profile Image for Chris.
6 reviews
March 26, 2026
A well-structured and compelling case for the four-day work week that goes beyond the usual "wouldn't it be nice" hand-waving. O'Connor and Lindzon do the legwork, tracing how we ended up shackled to the five-day, 40-hour week in the first place and making a convincing argument that the model is more a product of industrial era inertia than any evidence it's optimal.

The pandemic sections are particularly effective. COVID forced a global experiment in remote and flexible working that nobody asked for, but the results spoke for themselves. The authors use this as a springboard to ask the obvious next question: if we were wrong about where we need to work, what else are we wrong about?

Where the book really delivers is in the business case. This isn't pitched as some utopian employee wish list. The examples show measurable gains in staff retention, profitability, and client satisfaction. Companies that made the switch didn't just survive, they came out ahead. The authors are smart enough to let the data and real-world case studies do the heavy lifting rather than relying on ideology.

The practical chapters on how to actually implement a four-day week (whether you're the boss or trying to convince one) are a welcome addition. Too many books in this space diagnose the problem and then leave you hanging on solutions. This one gives you a roadmap. I like it.

If there's a minor gripe, it's that the examples skew toward companies where the transition was relatively smooth (only one of them had to adjust to 4.5 days after trying 4), and I'd have liked more coverage of industries or roles where the shift is genuinely difficult. But that's a small complaint about an otherwise thorough and persuasive read.
Profile Image for Greg.
391 reviews
February 28, 2026
Do More in Four: Why It’s Time for a Shorter Workweek explores the case for moving from the traditional five-day workweek to a four-day model without reducing pay. The authors argue that the current structure is an industrial-age holdover that no longer fits modern knowledge work. Using research, global trials, and real company case studies, the book makes the argument that productivity, employee well-being, and profitability don’t necessarily depend on longer hours — but on smarter systems.

The strongest part of the book is how practical and evidence-based it feels. Instead of being purely idealistic, it presents real-world data from organizations that successfully transitioned to shorter workweeks. The discussion on eliminating inefficiencies — like unnecessary meetings and presenteeism — is especially compelling. It doesn’t romanticize working less; it emphasizes redesigning work to focus on output rather than time spent.

If there’s one area that could be expanded, it’s the discussion on industries where coverage and shift work make a four-day structure more complex. While the authors acknowledge these challenges, I found myself wanting even more detailed roadmaps for sectors like healthcare or public service. That said, the broader framework they provide still offers useful starting points for adaptation.

I would recommend this book to managers, HR professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of work. It’s especially relevant for leaders thinking about employee engagement and burnout in a post-pandemic world. Even for individual readers, it encourages reflection on how we define productivity and what a sustainable work life could look like.
Profile Image for Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews.
1,759 reviews19 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 8, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media/Ascent Audio for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Okay, here’s an interesting topic that I am very much interested in. I recently went from a 4-day work week to a 5-day work week. I didn’t think it would be much of an adjustment, but it is. I listened to narrator Stephen R. Thorne narrate this book and thought he did a good job. His pleasant voice kept me interested in the topic throughout.

There’s a great case to be made that the 5-day work week is a dinosaur; what was created during the Industrial Age no longer fits into our global economy. Study after study has shown that the 4-day work week can be done. It can produce greater productivity, increasing business success. It can also support a greater work-life balance.

I did find that this book was very repetitive. I know about driving a point home, but most people who pick up this book are already on board, so beating the reader over the head with the same point again and again didn’t sit well with me. As a creator, I am also appalled at the author’s push of AI to increase productivity. I don’t give a good G** Damn how it can help me – the use of AI and data centers popping up all over the country have already shown how damaging it is to our environment.
Profile Image for Ellen Marcolongo.
151 reviews40 followers
February 19, 2026
A shorter workweek is long overdue. It seems to me that the reason the majority of Americans (my point of reference) is because greedy CEOs and others in leadership positions want to treat workers like their enslaved property.
This book provides evidence that a shorter workweek is possible and is even more productive than a longer work week. One way to do this (as suggested by the authors) is to eliminated unnecessary meetings. Meetings are such a waste of time. The authors offer great suggestions about how to decrease meetings.
Profile Image for Morgan.
553 reviews3 followers
January 31, 2026
A book that advocates for the four day work week, written by a journalist and activist (?) who have dedicated years of their respective careers to advancing the topic. As someone who already has a pretty flexible work schedule, this seems both slightly unnecessary and easily attainable to me. I think the authors present interesting case studies for success and, crucially, strong historical analysis that the five day work week only persists because we let it. More bosses should read this!
Profile Image for Shay J.
32 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2026
Informative, but repetitive. I appreciated the data, positioning against different models for work, and the philosophy that grounds the authors argument. But, after 4 or so chapters you’ve got the gist and can just skip. Definitely a book I’ve continued to think about and can get behind.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews