How Do Overachievers Have a Sane Work-Day?
I recently overheard a project manager asking someone:
“If this was so easy, why didn’t you do it over the weekend?”
Good Work Requires Rest
That question frustrated me because working on the weekend is a trap that can lead to burn-out. In my own experiences and those of other engineers, I have seen that doing good work requires rest.
For example: Once upon a time, I was tasked with building a “paginated tabs component”. The requirements were complex, and we had a deadline to meet. I worked through most of the weekend in order to get the component ready by Monday morning.
Guess what happened when I unveiled the component to the designer and project manager on Monday morning?
It wasn’t what they wanted. The requirements had not been clear and in my rush to get something finished, I had filled in the blanks. My implementation was so far from what they expected that I had to throw it all out. Already worn out from working through the weekend, I had to start fresh.
What went wrong?
- I worked in isolation, and missed out on communication and feedback.
- I rushed, and made worse decisions because I was tired and stressed.
Was it a fluke?
The few times I have worked on a weekend, the results have been similar. I made bad decisions, got worn out, and got frustrated with my work.
It’s not just me — you too are at risk of burn out and wasted time. How do we know this? Science! There a host of studies and articles out there backing this up:
- “While short bursts of intense work with overtime can be productive, and aren’t always harmful, in the long run, excessive hours are counterproductive.” — this article
- “Research that attempts to quantify the relationship between hours worked and productivity found that employee output falls sharply after a 50-hour work-week, and falls off a cliff after 55 hours — so much so that someone who puts in 70 hours produces nothing more with those extra 15 hours” — the same article summarizing this study
- “We know from our experience in changing from six to five days and back again that we can get at least as great production in five days as we can in six” — Henry Ford, quoted in this article
- “Indeed, it appears that in many, if not most, industries in the United States, shorter hours are actually associated with higher rates of output per hour” — The effects of working time on productivity and firm performance: a research synthesis paper
How To Stop Working Late
Between the research findings above and my own experiences, I know the benefits of taking time to rest. And yet, the drive to do great things leads me to consider working long hours. When I feel the temptation to work late, I deal with it by reminding myself to recharge. I focus on the idea that a balanced life is the path to doing great things. Here are some other strategies that have helped me in the pursuit of the fabled “work life balance”:
- Set some goals that relate only to my personal life, and not my work life. Discuss these with my manager and aim for deadlines, just like I would with work related goals.
- Make plans for evenings and weekends. It’s easier to leave the office when I know that I’m going to a meet-up, cooking a nice dinner, or taking a class in a new skill.
- Use the 8 hour limit to ruthlessly prioritize. Accept that some things will not be finished. That is ok as long as the most important things are being finished.
Having managers who understand and support me in working sane hours is also a huge benefit.
Celebrate Good Managers
Managers and other leaders can set the tone when it comes to the issue of over-working. I want to thank those managers who have helped me learn this and who continue to advocate for a sane work day. At least once, my current manager has had to tell me “You should go home”, and has been the one to express support when I do need to take time off.
Is Your Life Sustainable?
Consider trying this exercise that a current manager on my team came up with:
“Look back at your past 4 or so weeks. …. Imagine that playing out for the next five years. Will you be happy with what you’ve accomplished, achieved, experienced, and missed out on? If so, then rock on! But if not, think about how you’d adjust your weekly routine into something you believe you can sustain.”
Remember to Recharge
A friend recently asked me,
“How do overachievers have a sane work-day?”
The answer is to remember that rest is the key to keeping high achievement in the long term. This sounds crazy, but you and your team members can achieve more when you take breaks.
So please don’t impose what I call “burn out hours” on yourself or your team. And if you’re on my team, I will push you to stick to a sane work schedule.
