A century after the weekend was invented, it has disappeared. Let’s reclaim leisure | Richard Morgan
Summary
The concept of the weekend began about 100 years ago, starting with Henry Ford giving workers Saturdays off. Over time, weekends became a special time for rest and fun in many cultures. However, in recent decades, work and technology have blurred the lines between weekdays and weekends, making leisure time less distinct.Key Facts
- Henry Ford started the weekend policy for his workers on September 25, 1926.
- The weekend became popular in the U.S. after President Franklin Roosevelt passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938.
- Weekends were associated with leisure activities like cartoons, movies, music, and sports events from the mid-1900s onward.
- The phrase "24/7," meaning all day every day, was first used in 1983 and reflects the loss of clear time boundaries.
- The rise of 24-hour news, the internet, and social media has made weekends feel as busy as weekdays.
- Studies show Americans with families have limited leisure time spread across the week.
- The COVID-19 pandemic increased work-from-home pressures, further reducing weekend relaxation.
- The traditional idea of weekends as pure rest and fun has effectively disappeared in modern life.
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