I wrote about this previously, but here it goes again:
I think the 7 day "work" week is the most life-relaxing way to work.
I try to work 7 days a week. Some days I work 3 hours, some rare days I work 36 hours.
When I'm not working, I'm enjoying that time and not stressing out regarding income taking time off, because I know I have given it my 100% and not held anything back.
It is satisfying. I feel relaxed at work. I feel well rested.
I think the 5 day work week is soul-crushing: there's just enough time off from work that you dread coming back, and there's enough time at work that you feel overworked.
40 hours over 7 days is a little over 5 hours per day, and sprinkling in a couple 12 hour days spreads the remaining work to 5 three-hour days.
The huge advantage of the 7th day is that you know you cannot work, nobody else is working, that it's pointless and you can relax. It's 'the time for not working'.
When you work 'every day' - the nagging of 'maybe I can do something' always exists.
If you put in your time on the 5 days, then you can have this 'I know I gave it 100%' feeling.
Also, knowing that you can 'finish stuff on the weekend' I find makes one even a little bit more likely to procrastinate!
I've lived extensively in both worlds (i.e. 5, 6 , 7 days) and I think 7 will catch up to you. It caught up to me.
When I go home at 11am, I know that I won't be working until the next morning. I can do whatever I want during my free time, I can go shopping, spend time with family, watch Netflix, work on house projects, exercise, etc.
If instead I have to work until 5pm every single week day, I will feel stressed/exhausted when I come home, and when the weekend comes around, I need to fit in all the things I couldn't fit in during the week. In other words: I would have to hustle on my personal time because I know that Monday will come very soon and unless I get it done now, I won't be able to get it done until the following weekend.
I worked 5 day weeks before and I was miserable and exhausted. I work 7 days now and I'm invigorated. And I make a ton more money as well.
I do wish I had more time to travel, but I can take care of that once I've built up enough savings to retire at age 50.
Given your experience, what are your thoughts on five 6-hr days vs four 7.5hr days (but these 7.5 hours must be fully productive otherwise I cannot bill them).
I would say it's likely a personal issue, you may want to try to see what works for you.
I think the most important thing is that there are 'hard lines' i.e. you have time which you know to be 'yours'. The bleeding of personal time into professional time takes its toll.
Also, not relevant to your case, is the 'every day' nature of 7 day a week work - I believe this to be grinding as well, and it extracts a hidden cost on your health.
I think the 7 day "work" week is the most life-relaxing way to work.
I try to work 7 days a week. Some days I work 3 hours, some rare days I work 36 hours.
When I'm not working, I'm enjoying that time and not stressing out regarding income taking time off, because I know I have given it my 100% and not held anything back.
It is satisfying. I feel relaxed at work. I feel well rested.
I think the 5 day work week is soul-crushing: there's just enough time off from work that you dread coming back, and there's enough time at work that you feel overworked.
40 hours over 7 days is a little over 5 hours per day, and sprinkling in a couple 12 hour days spreads the remaining work to 5 three-hour days.