Stop Working Overtime

A typical workweek in the U.S. spans 40 hours. That’s due, in large part, to Henry Ford. Back when Ford was making a mint with his Model Ts, he experimented with the number of hours worked per day and the number of days worked per week by his employees. At the time, his employees were putting in 48 hours or more over a six-day week. For some, a normal workday lasted more than 10 hours. On January 5, 1914, Ford made a progressive decision. He cut the number of hours worked per day to eight and reduced the number of days worked per week to five. At the same time, he doubled his workers’ pay. From that point on, any time spent at work in excess of 40 hours per week was deemed “overtime.” Ford’s decision revealed an important insight about workers’ productivity. He found that reducing both the number of hours worked per day and the number of days worked per week increased his workforce’s output. Today, millions of people work overtime on a regular basis. If you’re one of them, you’re not working at your peak level of productivity. Worse, the more overtime you put in week after week, the less productive you are. It’s not your fault. Your work-related obligations may require you to put in 60 or more hours per week. But realize that over the long run, doing so will cause you to become less effective at your job. The long hours will slowly eat away at your efficiency, energy levels and focus.

How This Bad Habit Hurts Your Productivity

 Working overtime is a common problem in the U.S. Despite research showing that reducing work hours increases productivity, many companies encourage their employees to log an unreasonable number of hours each week. Similarly, many small business owners feel they need to put in long hours to compete in their respective industries. The persistent overtime makes you less productive in four ways. First, it sets the stage for health issues. Studies show that workers who put in a substantial number of hours each week are more prone to back aches, weight problems and hypertension. They’re also more susceptible to cardiac events. Second, it can raise your stress levels. Research has shown that elevated stress that persists for an extended period of time dramatically reduces our productivity. In 2014, professional services firm Towers Watson conducted a study involving 22,347 employees in the U.S., UK and 10 other countries. The researchers found that employees experiencing high levels of stress were more likely to report workplace disengagement. A Towers Watson consultant noted that the findings demonstrated “the destructive link between high levels of stress and reduced productivity.” Third, working too many hours opens the door to burnout. You may experience headaches, digestive problems, chest pain and even signs of depression as your stress levels rise. Worse, burnout happens slowly, so you’re unlikely to notice early signs that indicate a problem. The longer you put in extra hours, the more likely you’ll suffer these symptoms, all of which will ultimately derail your productivity. The fourth way overtime can harm your productivity is that it causes you to produce a lower quality of work. When you feel stressed, discouraged and worn out, you’re more likely to cut corners. With time, you’ll start to resent your work along with your inability to care enough about it to do a good job. Below, you’ll find five action steps that will help you to break the overtime habit and regain control of your workflow.

 Action Steps

 1. Make sure your to-do list is reasonable given the amount of time you have available. On Day 3, we talked about the tendency to create overly-ambitious to-do lists. While most people carry forward unfinished tasks (a problem in and of itself), some burn the midnight oil in an attempt to complete them. Avoid that scenario by limiting your to-do list to five high-priority items.

2. Plan to log five productive hours at most during any given eight-hour day. Most people assume they’ll be able to put in a full eight hours of work. But that’s highly optimistic. Between the disruptions and distractions you’ll face in the workplace (or at home), a significant amount of time will slip away from you. Plan your day with the assumption that you’ll turn in five hours of productive work. Make sure your to-do lists are realistic given that expectation.

3. Be willing to leave unfinished tasks on your desk. Some people are so strongly opposed to doing so that they’re willing to sacrifice sleep in order to finish the assignments. Don’t make that mistake. If an uncompleted task can be left for tomorrow, leave it.

4. Schedule breaks. It sounds simple. But taking breaks is often a challenge for individuals who pride themselves on their work ethic. The problem is, working through your breaks comes with a major downside: your mind never gets an opportunity to rest. Without rest, it can’t work efficiently. Take breaks. Then, come back to your work feeling refreshed so you can focus on it.

5. Commit to finishing the workday at a specific time. For example, pledge to call it quits at 5:00 p.m. Don’t agree to meetings that extend beyond that time. And don’t take work home with you. That may seem impossible if you have a tough boss or a mountain of responsibilities. But aside from unreasonable circumstances, there’s usually room for flexibility. Be proactive and make changes to your workflow. For example, shorten your to-do list (Day 3). Rebuff others’ demands for help (Day

6). Overcome your tendency to procrastinate (Day 10). Make whatever adjustments are necessary to help you to end each day at 5:00 p.m.