Ill young man with fever and cold looks suffering at home
Photo Credit (Freepik)
More hours than the typical 40 are likely put in if you have a full-time job. Perhaps there’s an unspoken expectation to be the first in and last out, or pressure to reach a weekly target for billable hours. When you take a break or leave early, it might be intimidating to see your coworkers glued to their desks and feel like an outsider.
In actuality, excessive work has serious drawbacks. Working long hours can be harmful to one’s wellbeing and productivity. Workplace culture, incompetent management, and the sheer amount of work can all be obstacles, but there are ways to get around them.
Why Putting in More Work May Leave You With Less Done
Why should you only put in forty hours of work every week? Extending your compensated hours in the private sector is simply giving your time away for free. Putting in more hours doesn’t always translate into a greater impact, even in positions driven by mission, such as development non-governmental organizations.
Studies reveal that exceeding 40 hours of labor per week truly lowers your productivity per hour. Over the course of a workday, physical and mental exhaustion sets in, which reduces productivity. A five-day, eight-hour workweek maximizes productivity across industries, according to long-term studies.
There are multiple elements involved in this occurrence. One reason chronic overwork reduces efficiency is that it causes cumulative weariness. Parkinson’s Law states that having more time might result in procrastination and less efficient use of time in knowledge-based occupations. According to this theory, tasks grow to cover the allotted time, hence working longer hours usually results in less productive work.
Furthermore, working too much wears down the personal resources necessary to continue performing at a high level. Tony Schwartz stresses in Be Excellent at Anything the significance of striking a balance between work and rejuvenation in other spheres of life. Your productivity at work suffers if you don’t have time for hobbies or personal pursuits like exercising.
Obstacles to Cutting Back on Work Hours
Even while working less has many obvious advantages, there are a few drawbacks:
Management Expectations: Some bosses insist on lengthy hours without considering how they would affect employees’ well-being and productivity. If this describes you, you may need to find a more encouraging work environment or deal with the matter head-on.
Self-Judgment: If you work fewer hours, you could be concerned about how other people see you. Rather than being true criticism from other people, these worries are frequently reflections of your own anxieties. Setting more sensible limits can be facilitated by acknowledging and dealing with these ideas.
Workplace Culture: You may feel under pressure to put in excessive hours at work due to the culture there. Leaders who work long hours may set an implicit expectation that others will do the same. These conventions can be changed by promoting a better workplace culture through open communication.
The Never-ending Task
It’s easy to want to keep working to get everything done since there will always be more to accomplish. Still, consistent effort doesn’t always translate into superior results. As noted by Katrina Shields in her book In the Tiger’s Mouth, there is frequently a delusion of urgency. Taking a break might occasionally result in more productive work.
In summary
It is possible to enjoy both your personal life and your work, and work may be meaningful. However, working too much is not the way to strike this equilibrium. You can work less hours and be happy and more effective. Experience and research both show that a balanced approach yields the best results for humans. Overcoming obstacles and establishing limits will improve your work and enrich your personal life.
