Somethings very wrong with the traditional 9 to 5: it doesnt work.
And their standard working week is less than 40 hours long.
They work a whopping359 hours lessthan Americans every year.
That is, until I couldnt.
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After coming back to work in June, I began to notice my focus and energy falter.
The doctor told me it wasbrain fog a common side-effect seen in those whove recovered from the virus.
I knew I might have to take it down a notch for a few months.
On most days, I couldnt work beyond five hours.
My clients were just as happy as before.
But was my skyrocketed productivity just the result of the rest I had to take while recovering?
I decided to continue the shorter workday, despite fully recovering in July.
And Im never going back to the eight-hour workday again.
8-hour vs. 5-hour workdays
I work inPomodorosfor everything from writing to responding to emails to networking.
Before, I worked eight or nine hours a day.
But I hardly attributed my burnout and lack of creative satisfaction to overworking.
Maybe I havent rested enough, planned well, or learned enough productivity techniques, I thought.
Im working smarter, not harder.
The same tasks also visibly take less time to complete now.
My relationship with work shifted.
Nothing is as urgent as it seems.
But it wasnt easy.
Youll likely notice that after a certain number of hours, sitting any more just gets you diminishing returns.
Thats when you know you should stop working for the day.
Work in your mental peaks
Theres a time of the day you work better.
You tend to do your best work in these hours and get more done in less time.
Its your best time to focus.
For me, the flow state is easier to grab in the mornings.
(Heres a guide from Zapier onhow to find your chronotype and schedule your productivity.)
I quickly realized I was setting myself up for failure.
I knew I valued quality over quantity, so I got picky.
Here are my three golden tips for realistic planning:
You dont need to complicate it.
Go easy on yourself, and make it a point to be more mindful while making your to-do list.
My mental health has never been better, and Ive never gotten so much done at the same time.
Now, my days have room for spontaneity, daydreaming, and boredom.
How many hours we work per day is a question that barely holds any importance today.
Its time to ask better questions: how can you find more time to think?
How can you minimize distractions?
How can you manage your energy well?
These are the questions we should all be focusing on instead.
This article by Rochi Zalani was originally published on theZapier blogand is republished here with permission.
you’re free to read the original articlehere.
Story byRochi Zalani
Rochi is a productivity nerd and freelance writer for SaaS and eCommerce companies.
She also works as a staff writer for Elite Content Marketer.
