Why longer hours at work do not necessarily equate to higher productivity.
It’s a common trend here in Asia, where working long hours was viewed that you were more hardworking, responsible, productive, and committed to the work.
Though I do agree that employees who work overtime hit most of the checkboxes above, I do not agree that working longer meant being more productive.
Instead, I prefer working efficiently, making use of the hours at work optimally, and trying to finish my work at a reasonable time.
Of course, there will be days where the work requirement needed me to stay back, and these occasions are understood and accepted. It’s the nature of my job.
But in general, I try to accomplish the work relatively fast, and this requires high concentration and keeping the focus on the end goal, especially for those higher complexity tasks.
What are the drawbacks?
I tend to cut down on my lunch break hours to work more instead, and I spend less time socializing with my co-workers.
I lose out somewhat on forming deeper connections with those at work, and on some days I do have a tinge of regret about this. Especially the older I get, I start to value relationships even more.
Just to add, I have the added motivation of going home to my 3 young children every day, and there lies my other responsibility as a mother.
How do you prefer to work?
Which work style is suited to your personality?