“If you want to achieve something, you need to have enough grit to stay up late and put in 60-hour long work weeks”
Do we, though? After all, we are in for more than forty years of professional activity. Think about them as forty kilometers of a typical marathon run. Do successful long-distance runners burn most of their energy at the beginning? No, they adjust the pace by considering the entire stretch they still need to complete.
What is more, unlike a predetermined route of a marathon, our career paths are likely to change due to sudden shifts in market conditions, so we had better preserve some of our energy and precious mental resources to be able to adjust when necessary. This requires plenty of free time to focus and experiment, and, generally, peace of a well-rested mind.
Quite predictably, as yet another study suggests, working less makes it easier to avoid burnout while being more engaged and productive in the long run:
The results are in: A four-day workweek pays off for workers and their workplaces, and one lawmaker says that means it’s time for 32 hours on the clock to become law.
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Workers were more efficient, even as work intensity dipped. They worked less, and were able to better maintain their work-life balance. Revenue at firms participating grew by 15%, and a third of employees said they were less likely to leave their jobs.
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Takano is not the only lawmaker pushing for Americans to work fewer hours in each week. In February, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote on Twitter that "with exploding technology and increased worker productivity, it’s time to move toward a four-day work week with no loss of pay. Workers must benefit from technology, not just corporate CEOs.
He was referring to the pilot program’s December findings six months in, after which revenue among participating companies rose 8.14%, and 67% of employees reported feeling less burned-out, with the extra day allowing them to exercise and sleep more.
In general, a growing body of evidence is pointing towards the conclusion that long term, working less would be better for everyone involved, be it the employee or the employer. You will find some of it, including various studies and articles, in the one quoted and linked above.