There’s no denying it: We live in a “more-is-more” culture. And above all else, that can-do attitude applies to work. With so much to accomplish and so many ways to stay plugged-in at all hours of the day, it can be tempting to stay in work mode from morning to night.
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In reality, extra time spent working doesn’t equate with an increase in productivity. In fact, a nonstop approach can have the exact opposite effect. According to Parkinson’s Law, “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” And if you’ve ever toiled for hours and days on a
single project, you may have observed the phenomenon yourself: Long hours inevitably lead to interruptions in concentration.
Although the obvious solution is to offset those disruptions with more hours of work, studies have shown that this strategy comes at a price -- increased stress, frustration, pressure and effort. It’s been well documented that too much work and not enough play may result in physical and mental stress, as well as depression.
But what do you do with this information in the face of a high-pressure deadline? Research suggests that you may want to try working less if you’re looking to accomplish more. According to one study, successful musicians whose schedules were tracked spent only 90 minutes a day practicing, napped more than their peers and took more breaks when they felt tired or stressed. Other research found that judges studied tended to make more lenient decisions immediately following a short break, suggesting that their time-outs boosted a positive attitude.
While you may not have aspirations to be a musician or a kinder, gentler judge, you can certainly benefit from the idea that less is more when it comes to building your own business. Here are some tips for boosting productivity by cutting back on long hours.
1. Get outside.
Even if you’re just going out to grab coffee or tea in the afternoon, make it a point to stretch your legs and breathe in some fresh air. You'll have a daily excuse to step away from your desk and give a boon to your productivity. A recent experiment using the productivity appDeskTime found that the most productive employees in the study took 17-minute breaks for every 52 minutes of work.
2. Schedule short walks.
Exercise is important, but not always easy to fit into a busy day. Schedule a walk, putting it on your calendar, the same way you would a meeting, even if your stroll is just a few minutes long. A recent studyfound that creative thinking improves during and shortly after a walk.
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