Can You Be Productive, Successful, and Satisfied 9 to 5? Part II

Well, sometimes tomorrow comes a little later than usual.

My intentions were good when I said last Thursday that I'd do Part Dieux on Friday. Life intervened. So now we're back and ready to go...

Judging from the comments in Part I, people feel strongly--in different ways--about the trend toward fulfillment in work life. No one is against it. Just thinking about it from different viewpoints.

Wally Bock poses some useful questions to ask yourself once you've decided to follow your talents. These are the kinds of sensible, personal style questions that often go un-asked yet really lead to a more fulfilling work life:

• How do you organize your day or week or month?
• Are you a lark to a night owl?
  
  
• What do your energy flows look like?
  
  
• How do you find the large-enough blocks of time to do serious work on a project?
  
  
• How and what kind of breaks do you need?
  
  
• What about days off and vacations and other times when you lie fallow?

Thanks, Wally.

Is The 9 to 5 Workday Obsolete?

When and where did the eight-hour day originate?

Briefly, it was the result of the Short-Time Movement  that emerged in Britain as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Poor working conditions, child labor, and long hours helped bring about the movement in the mid 1800s. Between that time and the early 20th century, most industrialized nations were forced to adopt a 40-hour week.

What's Happening Now?

Consistent with some of Wally's questions, John Wesley has a terrific post that talks about our Natural Productivity Cycles . Most of us have alternating periods of high and low mental alertness.  And let's face it: how long do you and I sustain those? He suggests a few hours, which is probably dead on. Which means that 8 consecutive hours don't mean 8 hours of productivity.

Since the 8 hour work day is an industrial revolution solution, how does it fit with the knowledge economy?

It certainly doesn't fit the rhythms and cycles of the normal knowledge/information worker. And with many of us connected globally, the reality of differing time zones needs to be factored in for phone and teleconferences.  Flex time makes sense--how many of you are able to take advantage of that?

The Reality: "No, we aren't working 9 to 5. We're 'on' all the time."

It seems as if the real trend is toward an "always-on" mode: doing a 5 a.m. commute to beat the traffic, coming in early to accommodate international clients, or flying on a Sunday to attend a Monday morning meeting.  Mobile phones?  Be honest. For the most part, they are on 'round-the-clock for many employees. Why? The expectation is that if you can be accessible then you should be.

Here's the catch: even though your phone may not beep, your mind stays alert to the possibility when it should be relaxing. Which means that even in the non-talking time, the body is geared up when it should be resting up.

Since the bulk of my clients are large companies, I can say that they are aware of the phenomenon. And many managers and executives talk about work-life balance and other popular phrases. But other than some who provide flex time, the pressure to be "on" seems greater than ever. The "speed" mantra, combined with quarterly earnings, appear to govern expectations.

There will always be certain businesses and professions whose services and systems require on-site staffing. I'm not sure I want my local nuclear energy facility operated remotely from a laptop in someone's barbecue pit. It's a good idea for doctors and nurses to be present at hospitals and offices, too.

But my hunch is that, like our ancestors of 100-150 years ago, sensibilities will surface and changes will be made. What I still can't fathom is, with all of the knowledge that we have about physical and mental well-being, why will it still take a "revolution" of sorts to do what we know is right?

What are your thoughts?

• Are you working for a company that does what seems to make sense with scheduling and at-home work?

• Are you considering any career changes as a result of current demands?

Do weigh in with a comment below!

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Comments

[Terry]

Actually I'm working towards the 4 HOUR work week, like the Amazon best seller - 4-Hour workweek. With technology based web sites these days, dirt cheap India outsourcing and other tools it's now very possible. Hell, my website runs it self and I only check for subscriber cash and Google ad cash. Than I go to my 9-5 consulting job.

Not many books will start a work revolution but this is the one. I've been on the right track all along. Ok and I'm a smart and well read 40+ guy.

Glad to meet you, very impressive about page.

ciao

[Steve Roesler]

Hey, Terry, thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment.

You know, everything you mentioned is dead on. So why aren't more people jumping on the bandwagon? I'm not sure. Like you, I'm always working toward shorter workdays and more leisure (although I honestly enjoy what I do so much that it sometimes seems like leisure).

I'm curious just for the research factor: is the consulting gig something that can be narrowed down (consistent with the 4-hour day)?

Will stop by your site and look forward to seeing you again...