How to take proper breaks from work
The matinée test
The year 1843 was a tremendous one for humanity. The Economist was founded. Almost as importantly, the modern weekend started to take shape. A campaign was launched in Manchester to give industrial workers half a day off on Saturdays, designed to ensure that more of them turned up ready to work on Monday morning. It succeeded, and the practice was eventually adopted into law; over time, a five-day week has become the norm in most countries.
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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “The matinée test”
Business August 17th 2024
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From the August 17th 2024 edition
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