Overview
- Julian Kamps, a 24-year-old former Germany’s Next Topmodel participant, posted a short video after three weeks in a full-time job describing days from 7:30 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. that left him about three and a half hours to “live.”
- The post amassed more than four million views and well over 150,000 likes, and Kamps said he plans to reduce his working hours.
- Online reactions split sharply between support for more free time and mental-health considerations and criticism that defended longer traditional schedules.
- Survey data reported by Xing show broad demand for more time for hobbies, care work, and family, with the strongest preferences among people aged 25 to 34.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that four-day weeks and a focus on work-life balance could undermine prosperity, later acknowledging high effort among many younger workers while still citing insufficient overall work volume.