I know what you mean. I spent 10 years as a chef. But i dont fully agree.
Sure, some weeks you would work 6 or 7 days, but others only 4. And when you did work 6 or 7 you often only work a morning or an evening. If i was doing 4 days i would work 3 afd’s (all fucking day) and then one morning or evening. Sometimes your days off were split up so you get a few little breaks throughout the week.
If im working evenings i get my whole morning and afternoon to do what i want when i feel my most fresh and energetic. If i work mornings i get all afternoon and evening to do what i want. If im working afd’s i get an extra day off to to what i want. Plus early week, monday, tuesday, wednesday was always less busy so you could be cleaned up and out of the kitchen by close (10pm) and alot of the shift could be spent in prep, cleaning, organising and having a laugh with the other chefs and smoking. Lots of smoking.
I work in an office now and i realise that the two are completely different beasts.
My 9 to 5 leaves me with zero energy mentally which affects me physically by making me not want to do anything with my evenings knowing i need to be up early so in bed early. I get my weekends but i spend them doing housework or something else responsible :(
Both job types could benefit from a 4 day work week. We need time to recharge and relax. We are just humans.
Edit: just to add. Life as a chef was hard. Lack of social life, working crazy hours. Bad diet and no discernable sleeping pattern.
Like i said above. They are different but equally exhasting.