One of the admired characteristics of the “greatest generation” is their incredible work ethic. They were loyal, hard-working and dependable; willing to do whatever was asked of them without question or complaining. “Company men,” because they put the company first before themselves and their families. And in the 40’s and 50’s, they were mostly men.
Putting in long hours at work can be considered dedication to the company and commitment to getting the job done. But is working more really more productive? An Inc. article says not necessarily.
The article looks to research done on the average number of hours employees work each year in different countries. The United States, known for productivity, puts in fewer hours than some countries like Greece, debt-ridden despite being known as the hardest working country on the planet.
Working long hours may make you look like a dedicated worker to your boss, especially if she’s puts in long hours as well. Leaving on time, while your boss works past quitting time can make you look like a lightweight or more interested in your own needs than that of the company. But just sticking around to put in time can cost the company money and take its toll on your family life and leisure activities that reduce stress, increase relaxation and quality of life balance.
Before you start clocking in longer hours, ask yourself why you have to work overtime or on the weekends. Why aren’t you getting your work done during regular work hours? There can be a lot of reasons.
- Poor time management. How are you spending your time? Do you spend a lot of time planning, rearranging papers, creating needless spreadsheets or creating duplicate files? You can waste a lot of time getting ready to work rather than actually working. Or are you spending lots of time on less important projects, filler work or things that should be delegated to someone else?
- Prioritize your projects by deadline, exposure, or importance to your boss. What projects will increase revenue, open more opportunities for growth or benefit the company or employees? Do you work on things that you enjoy rather than those that are more challenging? You can work all day on the fun stuff and then find you have to put in long hours at the office or at home catching up on the tough projects.
- Not asking for help. Even the Lone Ranger had a trusty sidekick. If you don’t like to ask for help or just prefer to work alone, you will spend a lot more time on a project than if you work with a partner or team. Determine what tasks you do best and find another team member to fill in for your weaknesses. Split up the tasks and you can get done in a fraction of the time you’d spend doing everything yourself.
- Lack of Innovation. No one has all the answers. Or the best ideas. Brainstorming with a colleague cuts creativity time and can help get started on solutions.
I once thought I’d impress my boss by staying late and taking work home at night. She instead questioned my time management skills and suggested I take a time management course so I could be more productive during the day. My tactic backfired. I looked unprofessional and unproductive. Instead of working harder and longer, start working smarter. Learn to be more efficient with your time and work habits to make your work more enjoyable and impress the boss with your productivity.
Freedigitalphotos.net: Nuttakit
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