Want a Shorter Work Week?

If you’re a leader, team member, manager, entrepreneur or business owner, here are some startling summer facts:

1. During the summer, workplace productivity and engagement drops 20%;
2. 53% of workers who get an early start to the weekend reported a dip in productivity;
3. Overall team member attendance drops by 19%;
4. Projects take 13% longer to complete;
5. Lunch hours increase 2.6 times; and
6. Personal shopping during work times increases 200%. *Open forum and Business Insider

It’s pretty obvious that productivity sharply declines during summer. As the days grow warmer, you move a little slower and work breaks stretch far beyond the normal limits simply because everyone’s off on vacation and you want to be too!

But valuable time and precious opportunities are missed when you slow your pace during the summer. It all begins with an internal tug-of-war:

1. You grow restless and bored if you’re simply waiting for five o’clock;
2. You feel drained, disengaged, frustrated and pent up when you’re not busy;
3. You are distracted and less focused as the sun peaks through your window;
4. You feel guilty because you’ll eventually have to make up the work sometime;
5. You worry about being seen as a slacker; and
6. You grow resentful at being stuck inside as life (and fun) passes you by.

But there’s a solution. A shorter work week.

Sure, everyone’s heard of the book Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. And while the idea of it is certainly tempting, not everyone is positioned to start an Internet business, nor will they get the same results as Ferris. So what about the rest of us?

There is a way you can achieve results. How? By ramping up your productivity, shortening your work week and dedicating more time to what matters most. Yes, we all have the opportunity to shrink our work week simply by changing our focus and our approach to work. This is doable, free and available to everyone who is sincerely interested in sustaining productive momentum and shrinking your work week.

So how do you shrink your work week?

Well, this has been a question that both my clients and I have faced. So several years ago, I dedicated myself to finding a solution. Something that would help me master momentum, increase productivity, improve focus and shrink my work week. And I did.

Since then, I’ve been working with my clients helping them do so, too. No, you don’t have to be your own boss to make this happen. But you do need to be serious and dedicated to the idea and willing to take major action. Once the foundation is laid, then it can become a sustainable process. If a shorter work week sounds like something you want then let’s talk.

I hope this article provided you with a few applicable ideas for success. I would be honored if you shared this on social media. And speaking of sharing, please share your own ideas and experiences below. Together, we can build a happier career community.

Photo Source: Photodune