A post on Reddit has caused a heated debate about working hours, with one of the users complaining against the traditional 9 AM to 6 PM schedule, advocating instead for a 6 AM to 3 PM schedule. The user argued that an early working hour would give better work-life balance, with one sleeping in the afternoons and having more time in the evenings. The post, which gathered attention in no time, had many others agreeing that the traditional 9-to-6 working day spoils both the morning and the evening, leaving one with less or no personal time.
The post that sparked the debate was: “Idky but I hate this 9-6 pm timings. Na subah milti hai aur na evenings. Instead, in 6-3 pm time, I can come home and take 1-1.5 hr rest and then enjoy the evening. What do you guys feel? Any other timings than these?”
A number of users who had worked in early shifts praised their pleasant experiences. One user who worked from 6 AM to 3 PM described it as a perfect schedule, citing the advantage of avoiding traffic hours on both sides of the day. They described how making it home at 3:30 PM allowed them to rest, exercise, and relax in the evening—activities that greatly improved their routine. They made it abundantly clear, however, that Fridays were an exception, with after-work socializing sometimes running late.
Another user, having worked from 7 AM to 3 PM, concurred with these benefits, commenting that although it took a while getting used to waking up early, it became second nature after a while. They commented that once the body gets used to waking up early, the benefits, such as having more time in the evening to oneself, well made up for the initial annoyance.
Some users utilised the way their bodies tended to naturally crave sleep in the afternoons to lend support to the theory that early working hours are related to these trends. One user remembered how, when they were in school, they returned home at 3 PM and napped for an hour—something they felt helped give them a boost for the rest of the day. This reminded them of ancient advice from wise men, who recommended napping after lunch to keep energy levels up throughout the day.
The debate also mentioned several complaints about the formal 9-to-6 working style, with some users commenting on how their working days unofficially ran from 9 AM to 8 PM depending on their respective work demands. One user complained about how employers would disregard formal working hours, requesting employees to work late for calls or unnecessary meetings. In one instance, a senior manager who usually stayed away from post-work calls suddenly requested attendance, which was an added frustration. This issue highlighted growing discontent with modern work culture, where personal time is normally neglected, which made previous shifts a more welcome solution for most.
The Reddit discussion highlights the ongoing issue of keeping work and personal life separate, with most demanding flexible or earlier shifts to improve overall well-being.