If you’re a full-time worker over the age of 40, chances are you’ve spent a good chunk of each weekend wishing you had two more days. That’s because researchers actually found that working more than 3 days a week once you hit that 4-decade milestone is bad for productivity.

Sure, sure, we all secretly dream of a future with a 4-day workweek being the norm, but in actuality, optimal performance requires a 4-day workweek and a 3-day weekend. Simply put, the older you get, the lighter your workload should get and the more time off you should have.

A study found that people over 40 need 4 days off a week to be good at their jobs.

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According to research published in the Melbourne Institute’s Working Paper Series, the two-day weekend is not enough. For 40-year-old workers to be sharper and more protective in the work environment, they need more. Specifically, they need at least a four-day weekend.

The report, published in 2016, noted that “work can be a double-edged sword, in that it can stimulate brain activity, but at the same time, long working hours and certain types of tasks can cause fatigue and stress which potentially damage cognitive functions.” For middle-aged and older workers, part-time hours are more beneficial and much more effective at maintaining cognitive functions.

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The research found that working part-time hours is much more beneficial to cognitive function in adults over 40.

In a group of 3,500 Australian women and 3,000 Australian men aged 40 to 69, from various educational backgrounds, participants were tested on three cognitive functions: reading comprehension, number and letter matching, and reciting numbers in reverse.

“For working hours up to around 25 hours a week, an increase in working hours has a positive impact on cognitive functioning,” noted researchers. “However, when working hours exceed 25 hours per week, an increase in working hours has a negative impact on cognition.”

Unemployed participants and those working full-time tested about 15% lower than participants who worked 25 hours a week. Researchers also found that there were no significant differences in the results between men and women, which means that long work hours can affect anyone’s cognitive abilities regardless of gender.

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Delaying retirement or increasing your workload with age can have a negative impact on brain health.

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Unfortunately, work culture seems to mirror the exact opposite of the Australian study findings. Most employees take on more work and responsibility with age because their experience and title demand it. Promotions usually mean more money, which means more work. 

According to the report, however, “too much work can have adverse effects on cognitive functioning.” What’s worse, working more than 40 hours a week can actually impact brain function in workers over 40. The research actually found that working over 55 hours a week, which, let’s be honest, is pretty standard in the U.S., reflected decreased cognitive function compared to study participants who were unemployed or retired.

You might think that retirement is a given at 65, but data shows that what people want and what they actually do are two very different things. Eligibility for Medicare at 65 has probably put that number in your head, but the reality is 69% of the population in 2025 expect to delay their retirement in the hopes of saving more money.

A 2024 AARP study found more alarming stats. One in five Americans over the age of 50 has nothing saved for retirement. That basically means they will never be able to retire. Considering experts recommend that you aim to replace 80% of your pre-retirement income to live comfortably after you retire, anyone without any savings will be working indefinitely.