A century after the weekend was invented, it has disappeared. Let’s reclaim leisure — that’s the central argument in a recent Guardian opinion piece by Richard Morgan.
When the Weekend Was Born
On 25 September 1926, Henry Ford instituted a policy giving his workers a weekend. This was the first widespread adoption of a weekend as a standard work practice.
It gained cultural momentum through media: Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers, Walt Disney’s Saturday matinee films, and President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act formalized the weekend as federal policy.
Weekends as Cultural Anchors
Postwar America turned weekends into symbols of indulgence. From Saturday morning cartoons to the Super Bowl and Woodstock, the weekend became a celebration of leisure.
Popular culture reinforced this: Sinatra’s line about Saturday being the loneliest night, and the 1948 song ‘Tennessee Saturday Night’ captured the spirit of weekend life.
The Rise of 24/7 Culture
By the 1980s, the phrase ‘24/7’ emerged — first from a college basketball player, Jerry Reynolds, printed in Sports Illustrated in November 1983, then popularized by media and technology.
Launched in 1980, CNN’s 24-hour news network signaled a shift. The digital age amplified this: cyberspace was marketed as a ‘global village’ where time lost its boundaries.
Today’s Weekend Crisis
Now, weekends are no longer rest days. A 2023 Pew study found married Americans average only 24.5 to 30.4 hours of leisure weekly — a fraction of what was once expected.
Work-from-home policies and digital calendars have turned Saturdays into another day of planning and stress. The ‘Sunday scaries’ now seem outdated — weekends are scary enough.
What We Can Do
Morgan argues we must abandon the idea of a strict work-life boundary. Instead, he calls for ‘weekend creep’ in the workweek — full lunch hours, 5 p.m. departures, and overtime for after-hours emails.
He suggests work ‘from home’ from parks, spas, or abroad. And he urges a return to employer gratitude — a pension mindset — not just for 9-to-5 jobs, but for all work arrangements.
Personal Freedom and Time
As a freelancer, Morgan writes he lives without a safety net but enjoys full control of his time. He writes this piece on vacation, in bed, with a moonlit seaside view.
He stresses that time is not found — it is made. We must create space for hobbies, family, therapy, and joy — not just for weekends, but for every day.
Weekends were built for factory labor, not Zoom meetings. The global rise of four-day workweeks shows how arbitrary our current schedule is. Why not two-day weeks if work can still be done?
He concludes: Sabbaths should be days of resistance — for the mind, body, and soul. Not just rest, but active renewal.
- Henry Ford’s 1926 policy was the first widespread adoption of weekends.
- ‘24/7’ culture began in the 1980s and accelerated with digital media.
- Modern Americans have very little leisure time — especially with children.
- Weekends were once a cultural celebration, not just a work boundary.
- Morgan calls for a shift in work culture — more time off, less work pressure.
For those seeking balance, Morgan’s message is clear: make time for yourself — for your passions, your family, and your peace.
Read the full piece at The Guardian.
Sources & further reading
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