Maximizing Efficiency: Crafting the Ideal Workday

New survey data from Slack's Workforce Lab found that people who logged off at the end of the workday reported 20% higher productivity scores than those who felt pressured to work after hours. 

The average American adult works 38.7 hours per week. 

European Union (EU) member states adhere to diverse labor laws and practices, leading to discrepancies in the typical workweek length. Nonetheless, many European countries generally maintain a standard full-time workweek ranging from 35 to 40 hours, typically over five days.

For instance:

Germany: A standard full-time workweek usually encompasses 38 to 40 hours distributed over five days.

France: The legal standard is 35 hours per week, although specific sectors and companies may negotiate longer work hours.

United Kingdom: The standard full-time workweek typically spans 37.5 to 40 hours, distributed across five days.

Sweden: The standard workweek often totals around 40 hours, with a cultural emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Denmark: A standard full-time workweek is generally around 37 hours.

In 1926, Henry Ford made a significant shift from a six-day workweek to a five-day workweek. The industrialist believed the move would increase productivity and enable his workers to spend more money on their time off.

The result was a full-time schedule that persists to this day.

Are we more productive if we are always on? 

Regarding productivity, as you may have guessed, it's not the quantity of working time; it's the quality. 

Desk-based workers say that more than two-hours of meetings a day reduce productivity. On average, desk workers say their ideal total focus time is around four hours daily.

But the human brain needs downtime throughout the day as our muscles need rest after strenuous workouts.

What constitutes an ideal workday?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, taking mental breaks throughout the day when you're not solving a problem or learning new information helps boost mood, performance, concentration, and attention.

When are we most productive?

Studies show 10 am to noon on a Tuesday. 

The most unproductive moment of the day is 2:55 pm.

Maximizing efficiency requires self-awareness and discipline. 

Disconnecting with gusto:

Soft stop - Daydreaming or letting your thoughts wander without an agenda or deadline makes us more productive.

Limit meetings to 90 minutes, take screen breaks, and take a short walk.

Hard stop - Engage in non-work-related activities. Relax. A hard stop is just that.

Pick a stop time, and well, stop.