‘I Don’t Think Anyone Should Be Working Five Days A Week,’ Says ‘America’s Got Talent’ Judge Simon Cowell — ‘It’s Just Pointless’

Simon Cowell built his reputation by saying what others would not. In an interview with The U.S. Sun in 2023, the “America’s Got Talent” judge applied that same blunt thinking to the workweek itself.
“Actually, the first thing is take off Fridays. Don’t work on Fridays, because you don’t have to,” Cowell said. His routine, he continued, is built around clear stopping points. “Eat dinner at five o’clock. Don’t take calls after 5:30. Don’t read emails after 5:30. Watch a happy movie. And stay outside.”
He added, “I’m not kidding about the Fridays. I don’t think anyone should be working five days a week. It’s just pointless.”
Don’t Miss:
The man who turned criticism into credibility
His comments about work follow the same logic. The argument is not about doing less, but about drawing firm lines around when work stops. Calls end. Emails stop. Evenings belong to something else. The idea sounds simple, but it runs against a culture where productivity is often measured by availability rather than output.
Trending: Designed for investors with strong market convictions, REX Shares builds ETFs for income, leverage, and tactical positioning — explore the lineup.
Less time doesn’t mean less work
Cowell’s version is not presented as a universal solution. Most workers cannot simply remove Fridays from their calendar. But the underlying message is harder to dismiss. Time expands to fill whatever space work is allowed to occupy, and without clear boundaries, the workweek rarely shrinks on its own.
See Also: You Saved for Retirement — But Do You Know What You’ll Keep After Taxes?
For some, that means rethinking schedules. For others, it may simply mean deciding when the workday actually ends. Cowell’s rule is extreme by most standards, but the idea behind it is familiar: productivity matters, but so does knowing when to stop.
And for people trying to build toward that kind of flexibility, a financial advisor can help translate lifestyle goals into numbers, making sure shorter weeks or slower schedules still support long-term savings and stability. Boundaries may be free, but the ability to enforce them usually comes from planning ahead.
Read Next: This investment firm leverages expert insights and a $1.85 billion track record to help accredited investors capitalize on 2026 multifamily market trends—read the full forecast now.
Image: Shutterstock