Belgium in Brief: Longer Days, Longer Weekends

Belgium in Brief: Longer Days, Longer Weekends

Do you think you could get the same amount of work done in four days rather than five?

Because that's currently up for discussion, at least in a roundabout way. A new proposal aims to make the working week more flexible in Belgium and would see full-time employees working 38 or 40 hours, but spread over four days instead of five.

So a 9.5ish hour day in exchange for a long weekend? Where do I sign? More here.

This proposal, however, got me thinking about how the past few years have impacted my own life. Work became EVERYTHING because there was very little else to focus on, and I know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

Getting 'a life' back in the post-covid times will be harder for some than for others. Sure, we all need work, but there's more to life than sitting behind a desk.

I've been to festivals, weddings and a few dinners in the past weeks, and every time I find myself wistfully thinking about how much I missed having other stuff in my life.

What's changed for you? Have you taken up a new hobby now you're not stuck in the house? Returned to your pre-covid routine?

Would a four day week improve your own work-life balance?

Let @johnstonjules know. 

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1. Flemish university in lockdown after reports of armed man

The Kortrijk campus of the Vives university college in the West-Flanders province is currently in lockdown, following reports of an armed man that the police received. Read more.

2. ‘Little Amal’ arrives in Brussels from Syria via 8,000 km migration route

Credit: Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles/Twitter

Little Amal, a 3.5 metre-tall “living artwork” of a young Syrian refugee girl, arrived in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon after a long journey from the Turkey-Syria border. Read More.

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4. Netflix gets more expensive in Belgium from today

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5. As last-minute bookings drop, Brussels Airlines launches 2022 summer offers

For several weeks, Brussels Airlines has seen a return to normal for passenger behaviour, with fewer now booking last-minute journeys, the airline said on Wednesday while launching its summer offer for 2022. Read more.

6. Nine in ten national trains were on time in September

Interior rail traffic ran on-time 90.9% of the time – the second-best result since 2015, Belga News Agency reported. However, the number of trains being cancelled also increased over the month. Read more.

7. Brussels mayors want ‘clear rules’ for controls on Covid Safe Ticket

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