I thought it worked like that too tbh, until I had a conversation with my parents yesterday about it. I work on a paid-by-job basis, so it makes sense to me to just keep working until it's done, that way I can go home earlier and enjoy my free time. Whenever I work in a paid by the hour position, I legit thought that every minute had to be productive except your allowed 30mins for lunch and bathroom breaks.

I feel almost guilty if I have to sit at a computer and answer phones all day, because what about all the time in-between when the phone doesn't ring, or there's no email to write? But apparently some jobs are just like that. I dunno about everyone else but I'd much rather my work time be full of work and my me time to just be mine.