In preindustrial societies

There are various studies on hunter-gatherer societies (Marshall Sahlins, Pierre Clastres) that indicate that the Australian aborigines of Arnhem Land and the bushmen of southern Africa barely dedicated 3 to 5 hours a day to ensure their subsistence.[11] In more complex societies and especially with the appearance of agriculture, exchanges begin (see Economy of the gift and Essay on the gift), and we can talk about labor and tasks, which will require more or less dedication and intensity but in no way, not even during union activity, can we speak of a "working day" with the meaning it currently has.

18th to 19th centuries - 14-hour days, 7 days a week

The number of working hours must be counted in both the daily, weekly and annual hours. During the industrial revolution in Great Britain and other countries, the work week reached 7 days without any rest with 14-hour days.[12] This is still the case in many places in the world where piecework and the lack of rights mean that there is no daily work break. The first step in reducing the 6-day week was, in Western countries, the implementation of the English weekend that united the afternoon from Saturday to Sunday (1 and a half days of rest). The English expression Saturday derives from this situation.

[13][14]​.

The spread of a consumer society that requires time for shopping and spending on leisure has largely generalized the 5-day work week throughout the world; from Monday to Friday in countries of Christian and Jewish tradition (weekend on Saturday and Sunday); from Sunday to Thursday in most Muslim countries (weekend on Friday and Saturday).[13]​.

19th to 20th centuries - 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week

At the end of the century, the demand for eight hours of work, eight hours of leisure and eight hours of sleep began, which would not be achieved effectively and generally in numerous countries, especially Western ones, until the 1970s and 1980s. We went from work weeks of more than 60 hours a week to weeks of 48 hours a week (six days with an eight-hour day)[15]​ and to 40 hours a week (5 days with 8-hour days). Since the 1980s, despite the increase in productivity and the increase in unemployment, the working day has been maintained or has grown if family units are considered where it has gone from one worker to two workers (usually the two members of the couple or marriage).[13]​

Since the ILO Convention of 1919, where working hours in industry are limited to eight hours a day and 48 hours a week, working conditions have been improving and the working day has been reduced. The weekly day off and annual paid leave (vacation) have been incorporated. However, still "at least 20 percent of the workforce in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan works 50 hours or more a week, while in most European countries this proportion does not reach 10 percent and is even reduced."[16]

21st century - Productivity, automation and reduction of working hours

The failed attempts to implement, in the 1970s, the 30-hour workweek by Swedish feminists and, in the 1980s and 1990s, the 35-hour workweek in France reflect the stagnation of the reduction of the working day and even, in the first decade of the century, the increase in time worked. From union positions, a reduction in the working day is demanded, its distribution and consideration of the total time worked by the entire society or community.[13]​[17]​[2]​.

In preindustrial societies

There are various studies on hunter-gatherer societies (Marshall Sahlins, Pierre Clastres) that indicate that the Australian aborigines of Arnhem Land and the bushmen of southern Africa barely dedicated 3 to 5 hours a day to ensure their subsistence.[11] In more complex societies and especially with the appearance of agriculture, exchanges begin (see Economy of the gift and Essay on the gift), and we can talk about labor and tasks, which will require more or less dedication and intensity but in no way, not even during union activity, can we speak of a "working day" with the meaning it currently has.

18th to 19th centuries - 14-hour days, 7 days a week

The number of working hours must be counted in both the daily, weekly and annual hours. During the industrial revolution in Great Britain and other countries, the work week reached 7 days without any rest with 14-hour days.[12] This is still the case in many places in the world where piecework and the lack of rights mean that there is no daily work break. The first step in reducing the 6-day week was, in Western countries, the implementation of the English weekend that united the afternoon from Saturday to Sunday (1 and a half days of rest). The English expression Saturday derives from this situation.

[13][14]​.

The spread of a consumer society that requires time for shopping and spending on leisure has largely generalized the 5-day work week throughout the world; from Monday to Friday in countries of Christian and Jewish tradition (weekend on Saturday and Sunday); from Sunday to Thursday in most Muslim countries (weekend on Friday and Saturday).[13]​.

19th to 20th centuries - 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week

At the end of the century, the demand for eight hours of work, eight hours of leisure and eight hours of sleep began, which would not be achieved effectively and generally in numerous countries, especially Western ones, until the 1970s and 1980s. We went from work weeks of more than 60 hours a week to weeks of 48 hours a week (six days with an eight-hour day)[15]​ and to 40 hours a week (5 days with 8-hour days). Since the 1980s, despite the increase in productivity and the increase in unemployment, the working day has been maintained or has grown if family units are considered where it has gone from one worker to two workers (usually the two members of the couple or marriage).[13]​

Since the ILO Convention of 1919, where working hours in industry are limited to eight hours a day and 48 hours a week, working conditions have been improving and the working day has been reduced. The weekly day off and annual paid leave (vacation) have been incorporated. However, still "at least 20 percent of the workforce in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan works 50 hours or more a week, while in most European countries this proportion does not reach 10 percent and is even reduced."[16]

21st century - Productivity, automation and reduction of working hours

The failed attempts to implement, in the 1970s, the 30-hour workweek by Swedish feminists and, in the 1980s and 1990s, the 35-hour workweek in France reflect the stagnation of the reduction of the working day and even, in the first decade of the century, the increase in time worked. From union positions, a reduction in the working day is demanded, its distribution and consideration of the total time worked by the entire society or community.[13]​[17]​[2]​.