A shocking 40% of individuals reported that their job was “extremely stressful.” In addition 25% of respondents identified their job as the number one source of stress in their lives.* The drive to succeed is so high in many work environments today that it leads to unnecessary stress and even worse, unnecessary work hours!
* According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
It seems that nowadays working a 12 hour day is made out to be more of a positive than it really is. A 12 hour work day is emotionally and physically draining and it actually decreases productivity. Don’t overwork yourself or your team… it’s a never-ending downward spiral.
Did you know that:
– Over half of the workforce said they often skip lunch because of the stress a job demands.
– An estimated 1 million workers are absent every day due to stress.
– In the last 20 years, working time has increased by 15% and leisure time has decreased by 33%.
– The average worker sends and receives 190 messages per day. *
*According to Dr. Donald E. Wetmore, President of The Productivity Institute
12-hour work days may seem like a sign of productivity, but in reality they are just an information overload for your team.
Of course, as a leader we sometimes need to ask our teams to work for long hours to finish a special project or manage a crisis. Just don’t make it a habit.
Is a 12 hour day, really a 12 hour day?
Say a team member spends 12 hours at work, then are they actually working that whole time?
What’s really happening is that we (myself included) are actually just fitting more “stuff” into a longer day and the idea of priorities is going out the window. The answer: let’s get back into the habit of planning and setting clear expectations. This is what we did before iPads and cell phones!
Let’s take the 8 hour challenge!
Let’s see if we can actually stay focused and prioritize what most important and let some of the non-important “stuff” go. Let’s make sure that we have conversations with those on our team and get crystal clear about what we want them to focus on in 2011.
Let’s embrace the concept of “doing more with less” and actually focus on the most productive priorities vs. just packing our lists with “things to do”, filling our days with meetings and working on “stuff”.
Think about this … if your team member cannot get their assigned tasks done in a regular 50 hour work week they might be in the wrong job. As a leader you must take a hard look at this.
On the other hand, if a team member has spare time or too much busy work then you should be adding responsibilities. A good leader should challenge their team members and push good ones outside of their comfort zones.
12 hour work days are not okay and your team will model your work ethic, so be careful. Here are some small changes you can make to help send the right message…
1. Only send emails during regulars work hours
Try sending emails with delayed delivery and schedule them to go out at 8:00 AM instead of 12:30 AM when you’re trying to catch up or you can’t sleep. This will help both you and your team.
2. Stay home
Avoiding going in on weekends and vacations… use technology and just do what needs to be done from home. If your team members see you in the office on weekends they will feel a need to be there as well.
3. Stick to a schedule … your schedule
Schedule dinner with your family or book a haircut or workout with a personal trainer 30 minutes after your typical work day ends. Let your team see that you have a life. It’s important to refresh and “sharpen your saw”.
4. Leave the office for lunch
Rather than eating lunch at your desk or going to the cafeteria, try leaving the building. Not only will it be a great opportunity to clear your head and prioritize for the remainder of your day, it will also let your team members see that it is okay to take a break once in a while.
5. Write down your goals for the next day before bed each night
Before you go to bed each night take a couple of minutes to write down what you want to accomplish the next day. This way when you come in to work the next morning you will know what needs to get done and you can hit the ground running. You will also sleep easier knowing what the next day holds. Try to cultivate this habit in your team members!
Bottom line: Customers don’t like working with your stressed-out, overworked people. So, stop the madness…