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"How Many Hours Do You Actually Work in a Workday?"

You arrive late to work. (Just a few minutes…)
You then get your coffee. And then socialize with others about their weekend.
You check the news. And then surf your inbox for 45 minutes.
Soon, it’s lunch time.
Wait… you just got here.
You might need to ask, “How many hours are you actually working in your day?”

Late to Work, and Late to Start Work

I see it in many office cultures. People straggle in 20–30 minutes late into the workday. They then spend another 30 minutes getting started.
They get their coffee. They socialize with every other late straggler. They check the news before they pull out any work. And then they surf their email inbox.
Suddenly, it is almost lunch time and they start making lunch plans with other co-workers.
Does this sound like your work day?

Wasting Time at Work

How much time are you actually working in your workday?
You may think from the last section that I am looking for some clockwork, military-like office that runs by strict discipline.
Not really. In fact, most truly creative work requires lots of unbounded free-time.
The most productive companies are those that reward results instead of mere activity. They often have loose schedules and allow their workers to work in the ways they work best.
They don’t stay in the office for the sake of clocking time, sending emails, or having meaningless meetings. They allow their workers to get their work done…. and then get out of the office.
However, many workplaces don’t work this way. (I guess you could say they don’t really work at all…)
Employees are expected to put in long workdays regardless of the workload. And success is often measured by hours instead of actual progress. Long days for the sake of long hours.
But, what is actually getting done during these long workdays?
  • Most workers waste upwards of 2 hours per day at work
  • They spend up to a third of their time in email
  • And even more time in meetings.
This busyness can be a real problem. In fact, many companies mistake busyness with productivity.
Even more worrisome are those that are in denial about wasting time at work. (Sorry, but talking sports doesn’t count as work. Nor does surfing LinkedIn. Or making up stories about the last place you worked…)

Get Your Work Done First

If you find yourself constantly complaining you have too much to do, or you never get out of work on time, you need to ask, “How many hours am I actually working in my workday?”
You might find that you are spending more time avoiding work than doing it.
Get your work done first. Then, you can socialize all you want.
You may even be able to reclaim your personal life or spend time with your family and friends.

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