Execs say 60 Hour Work Week = Burnout

The Harvard Business Review surveyed top executives across the globe and guess what - working a 60- hour-plus work week can really put a monkey wrench into down time and creative drive. Here's what it said:

• 50 percent of male executives and more than 80 percent of women executives working 60 hours a week or more said they couldn't keep up that pace for more than a year.
• More than 40 percent of the men who worked those hours experienced brownout within five years and had lost their creative zeal.

Sounds obvious, but how many of us are slaves to the idea that more is better. Far be it for me to preach,  (I'm now going to whine a bit) I've been spreading myself rather thin lately. A little TV reporting here, a little radio there, an article..blog... and all in the name of furthering my career and actually a passionate message about work/life integration (go figure). But I really think there are innovate ways to keep a brisk pace, cultivate inner peace and retain the creative impulse.

Here's a few suggestions for my fellow alleged work/life integrators:

1. Make an appointment with yourself everyday, even if it's just for five minutes to stop. I mean really stop. Listen to music, meditate, pray, call an old friend, play a video game. Just stop working.
2. When you go back to work after your break, take three deep conscious breaths. This stops the mind entirely after you let it fly around for your fun break. Choose a word like peace, love, brownies (ok -an image of brownies) that brings you joy. Repeat the word to yourself as you breath in and out. This is what grounds you before returning to the busy work day.
3. Have a goal in mind for the rest of the work day. It might be as simple as a phone call that needs to be made, an e-mail to be sent or a bill to be paid. Do something that will give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

Just separating the work day and having a simple goal can literally change the structure of your day. When we stop, even for a short time, it gives ideas time to percolate, the creative juices can be stirred without even thinking about it because you've given yourself permission to stop.

It's not such a foreign idea. Corporate America is catching on in its own way. Check out these innovative ideas:

• Google encourages workers to spend 25 percent of their week on their own projects
• Cisco Systems and various other tech and blue chip companies are encouraging their employees to take half and full year sabbaticals - some use it for higher education - others to do volunteer work.

Please let me know what your company or business is doing. I'm all ears - at least for five minutes of every weekday!

Comments

[Laura Matthews]

Hi, Judy!

Wanted you to know we posted this one on SpOTJ! Here's the link:

http://www.spiritonthejob.com/content/view/348/30/

We'll probably feature it in our newsletter next week.

Warmly,
Laura