Cover for The Shorter Working Life by Scott Jellen
Research PaperPublished

The Shorter Working Life

A Framework for Reducing Required Lifetime Labor

A framework paper arguing that the modern work lifecycle no longer matches current economic and demographic conditions. It proposes reducing the duration of mandatory full-time labor over time, using retirement as the primary institutional mechanism for transition.

Published

April 20, 2026

Research Stack

The Shorter Working Life

A research program exploring how productivity gains, retirement modernization, and institutional adaptation could reduce required lifetime labor.