What Happens When We Work Less?

About this episode

You’ve seen the headlines about quiet quitting, the four-day workweek, and The Great Resignation. In recent years the millions of Americans who work office jobs have been inundated with commentary and buzzwords that all point to one central theme, many of us are dissatisfied with the old ways of working. But if we only worked the hours we absolutely had to, what would we do with our free time? Who would we be? In this episode, VICE producer Sam Eagan sets up an experiment where he slips under the radar while working as little as he possibly can, all while interrogating his own relationship to work and productivity along the way. Special thanks to Anne Helen Petersen. This story was produced and reported by Sam Eagan and edited by Jesse Alejandro-Cottrell and Stephanie Kariuki with help from Ashley Cleek. VICE News Reports is produced by Sam Eagan, Sophie Kazis, Adreanna Rodriguez, and Adriana Tapia. Our senior producers are Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, Janice Llamoca and Julia Nutter. Our supervising producer is Ashley Cleek. Our associate producer is Steph Brown. Sound design and music composition by Steve Bone, Pran Bandi, and Kyle Murdock. Our Executive Producers are Ad