2024-03-23 18:02:47
Or what to do if the boss believes that the more you (work), the more you (produce)
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Where are you, asks your boss in a judgmental tone that your wife (mother-in-law) doesn’t allow herself either. He’s asking on the cell phone because he called the extension and didn’t find you at the desk. You’re tempted to tell him the truth: that you left the office for a 15-minute walk to clear your head. But you know he won’t understand. So you make up a lie that will pass.
Your boss is like Winnie the Pooh. Believes that “The more, the more!” In the sense that the more you work, the more you will produce.
Good managers know it’s not that simple.
Productivity isn’t about working more, it’s about working more efficiently. Your boss is clearly not one of the good ones, but you don’t leave it to him. Make sure you allocate your time so that you get everything done in the best possible way without having to stay extra in the office. And when the boss does not find you at the desk, there is no need to lie to him, but to answer him with the results of authoritative scientific studies.
It is absolutely proven that regular breaks increase productivity. If the managers in your company really cared about it, they would read smart books and formally introduce it instead of allowing only one lunch break.
The question is not how many breaks per day employees are allowed to take, but how long they can concentrate before taking a break, points out Bob Posen, author of the bestseller Extreme Productivity.
In fact, as long as it is not dictated by the specifics of the activity, really good managers do not impose any mandatory attendance time, they determine when the breaks should be. They only care about the bottom line and let employees choose when to work. The reason is that different people are most effective at different times of the day.
The duration of the ability to concentrate also depends on individual characteristics. By getting to know yours and adjusting your work cycle to them, you will become much more productive.
According to one of the studies, breaks should be taken every 75-90 minutes. “Most people, after working for an hour and a half and then resting for 15 minutes, help the brain to consolidate information and retain it better,” Bob Posen explains the data from his experiments.
In another study done with a time and productivity tracking software application, it was shown that the most effective are the “sprints” – 52 minutes of work and then 17 minutes of rest.
Getting out of the office for some fresh air will refresh you best, but if you can’t or don’t want to walk outside, drink coffee and talk to nice colleaguesrecommends Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and leadership coach.
Chances are your boss won’t understand your scientific reasons for taking a small break every hour and a half of work. Well, then stay at your desk, but divide your time so that you rest.
Take up something that is different from your main job and gives you extra energy, advises Laura Vanderkam, time management expert. For example, do a pleasant office task – call a colleague or partner you like, read an interesting document that does not require a lot of concentration, check your mail. Switching will allow you to refocus later.
Whatever your boss thinks, you have a responsibility to yourself first. And it is to take breaks according to your individual productivity abilities, so that you can perform your duties as well as possible. Preferably for 8 hours, 5 days a week. That’s what they pay you for.
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