Working too much is bad for your mental and physical health. This guide will help you figure out a sustainable work schedule.
As a business owner, overworking is so easy. There’s so much to do and so little time.
Entrepreneurs are notorious for burning the midnight oil. And who can blame us? We’re only accountable to ourselves. Some circles even consider long work hours as a badge of honor.
But what is the recommended number of work hours? Are there consequences to working too much?
You’re in the right place. Let’s find the best work hour schedule for you.
Before even starting the theoretical discussion, do you know how many hours you are working at the moment?
Timesheets aren’t just for hourly workers. They are powerful tools to help entrepreneurs like us decipher how much we are really working. There’s no arguing with the facts.
An online time tracker will help you see how many hours of labor you do in an average workweek. Our time tracking software is easy to use and comes with all of our standard plans. You can learn more about it here.
How Many Hours Should You Work per Week?
80 hour work weeks are very normal in entrepreneurial circles. That doesn’t mean they should be.
The typical FLSA defined full-time work schedule would be 35-40 hours. That’s what you would expect as a full-time employee.
The truth is that there’s no one-size-fits-all. Some people have a higher tolerance to long work hours than others. Likewise, it’s the number of productive hours that really count.
Long desk hours are completely useless if you’re not actually getting anything done.
The Health Risks of Working Too Much
Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
Researchers claim that there is a 60 percent increase in risk of cardiovascular diseases if you work more than 10 hours per day. That means that over 50 hours of work will cause heart issues.
Burnout
Working more than a 40-hour workweek consistently can lead to mental health issues. Burnout is extremely common with small business owners because of excessive overtime. Working to the detriment of sleep causes fatigue and low mood. Burnout happens when you feel an imbalance between your reward from work and the amount you work. It can lead to dissatisfaction with your business and your work. No one wants that!
Increased Drug and Alcohol Use
Studies show that increased work hours lead to more dependency issues. This could be smoking and alcohol. It could also be other substances like coffee or Adderall. In any case, substance abuse of any kind has huge effects on your health. Both short-term and long-term.
So I hope I have convinced you that working over 40 hours a week is not a good idea. But how many hours would work for you? Your to-do list won’t get smaller. Is a four-day workweek possible? How do you create a work schedule that is sustainable and productive?
Here are our three golden rules:
Learn Your Most Productive Hours
Working until the late hours isn’t the solution if you are not a night owl. Likewise, waking up at 5 am to start a work routine may also not suit you. Learning your personal energy levels throughout the day
Practice Time Management Techniques
Time blocking. The Pomodoro technique. Todo list apps. These can all help streamline your workflow for more productive work. Working smarter, not longer.
Don’t Work More Than 50 Hours per Week
Most research suggests that 50 hours per week are the absolute maximum for productivity and health. Use reliable time tracking software to try and keep your work hours below the magic number.
Key Takeaways
Workaholism is an epidemic among small business owners. Having a sustainable work schedule is the way to make sure you are caring for your mental health. Remember that burnout leads to worse work performance and even depression.
We hope this article was helpful in deciding how many hours you should work per week.
For more guides like this one, head to our resource hub.
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That means that over 50 hours of work will cause heart issues. Working more than a 40-hour workweek consistently can lead to mental health issues. Burnout is extremely common with small business owners because of excessive overtime.
For full-time employment, experts and labor regulations generally advise a regular workweek of 40 hours. Working more than 40 hours a week on a regular basis, however, may have detrimental consequences on productivity, well-being, and health, according to a number of studies and experts.
As well, there are also studies saying that companies that impose their employees daily working hours are also less productive. In the end, scientists generally agree that the ideal daily working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning.
“Research indicates that five hours is about the maximum that most of us can concentrate hard on something,” says Alex Pang, founder of Silicon Valley consultancy Strategy and Rest and author of several books examining the links between shorter working hours and productivity.
If you track your time and are setting time goals for yourself, I recommend sticking to the 5-6 hours max per day rule for a mix of regular task activities.
If you want to achieve the perfect blend of productivity, happiness, and time affluence, a more realistic goal is to work slightly below 40 hours per week. The research shows that even shaving an hour or two off of the standard 40-hour workweek can have huge benefits, both at work and at home.
What are the benefits of a 20-hour workweek? Some of the main advantages of reducing your workload and only working 20 hours per week are: It can significantly improve your work-life balance. One of the main reasons why some people want to reduce their weekly workload is to have more time for personal activities.
An ideal, productive workday for me starts with waking up early and getting a good breakfast. I then spend some time reading and reflecting on my goals for the day. I like to start my day with a few easy tasks that I can easily accomplish, which helps me build momentum and get into a productive mindset.
In general, 8-hour shifts are preferable to 12-hour shifts. Circadian physiology suggests that morning shifts should begin no earlier than 8:00 am for the physiological best fit to circadian rhythmicity.
The perfect schedule for your body may be a split shift, where you put in half your day in the morning and finish up in the late afternoon or early evening. A break in the middle enables you to relax, rejuvenate, and come back to the office refreshed.
In the United States, most corporate firms would peg the benchmark for an average workweek at 40 hours or more. Finding the answer to this question is trickier than you may think. Not only does the type of work you do affect the outcome, but so does how you feel about work-life balance.
Schedule short vacations during the weekend and longer ones at equal quarters (According to an Expedia study, out of 15 vacation days, each American just takes 12 days, thus failing to take 375 million days in a year overall) Try to do one task at a time. Avoid the stress of multitasking.
As per the Indian Labor Law, the maximum working hours for Indian employees are 9 hours a day which includes an hour break. The employers are required to pay the minimum wages for this duration to their employees.
An Illinois Institute of Technology study pitting three groups of scientists against each other — working 20 hours, 35 hours, and 60 hours respectively, found that the 20-hour a week group was twice as productive as their 35-hour a week peers. The 60-hour a week group were the least productive.
Regarding the hours, I am flexible and willing to work whenever the team needs me the most."It is a good option for full-time, part-time or shift jobs if you are truly flexible. By answering this, you indicate to the employer that you are ready to work whenever needed.
Research indicates that this work schedule might not only be detrimental to employees' health but could also adversely affect productivity and business outcomes. Contrary to popular belief, longer work hours don't necessarily equate to increased productivity.
“Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard. It's time that we all, governments, employers, and employees, wake up to the fact that long working hours can lead to premature death.” –Dr. Maria Neira (Director of the Department of the Environment at W.H.O.)
A recent study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization shows that working more than 55 hours a week can have negative effects on your health.
Working for extended periods beyond the usual 40-hour workweek can significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Long work hours can lead to chronic stress, which can have a negative impact on the body over time.
Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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