Working a 60-hour week but only producing 10 hours of productivity?
17 June 2025
That’s a striking statement, isn’t it? Working 60 hours a week but only squeezing out 10 hours of actual productivity - it’s a reality for a lot of people. And it’s not just about the hours; it’s about how effectively those hours are used.
It’s easy to confuse being busy with being productive. Long hours often come with distractions, endless meetings, checking emails, and multitasking, which actually reduce real output.
It’s like running on a treadmill - you’re putting in the effort, but are you really going anywhere?
What if instead, you focused on working smarter, not longer? What if your priority is to work at things that "move the needle" first, then do all the other stuff?
Establishing clear priorities, eliminating time-wasters, and building in breaks, can lead to a dramatic productivity boost. I have a reminder on my watch that chimes every hour. I stop what I'm doing, stand up, take a slug of water from my bottle, do 20 squats and then start working again. It's amazing how that clears and re-orders the mind.
Focus on turning those hours we're talking about into high-impact time - how much more could you achieve? And the big spinoff is, how much more time could you reclaim for the other parts of your life - work life balance!
It’s not about grinding; it’s about aligning your efforts with what really "moves the needle".
Written by Mark Deavall
If you would like to talk to me, please call me on +2782 465 5481 or email me on markd@markdeavall.com
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