??How To Work 80-Hour Weeks And Not Burn Out?
In a recent Quora thread, "How do people work 80-100 hours a week and not get burnt out?", users shared their best tips for balancing a hectic workweek with the rest of their lives.
We pulled out some the best and highlighted them below:
Understand your priorities. If you make the decision to spend most of your time working, then take responsibility for your choices. Acknowledge that you will not have as much free time to work with and then try to adjust accordingly. -Serena Bian
Schedule time for your loved ones. Use your calendar to carve out time to call your parents or have coffee with your friends. Otherwise, meetings and conferences can quickly fill up your schedule, and you can very easily lose touch with the important people in your life. -Serena Bian
Maintain healthy habits. Every day, you should eat a nutritious breakfast, drink a lot of water, and make sure you get plenty of exercise so you don't easily lose energy or focus throughout the day. If you work late hours in the office, try not to eat pizza and fries every day, or you'll probably suffer later. -Jared Broad
Don't over-rely on caffeine. Some people rely on energy drinks to keep them awake, but this is an unhealthy choice. Try to reduce your caffeine intake so that when you're really tired and truly need it, it will actually be effective. -Serena Bian
Change your sleep schedule. Instead of sleeping seven to eight hours in one go, try to recharge your body more efficiently. Some people use bi-phasic sleep schedules, where they sleep for six hours and then take a 25-minute nap later in the day. -Jared Broad
Wake up early. Morning hours are often the most productive. You can take advantage of these extra hours of the day to get even more done. Waking up early will also allow you to work out in the morning, so you don't have to disrupt your day by exercising in the middle of it. -Stephen Steinberg
Follow a strict, disciplined schedule. Set a regimented routine for waking up, taking naps, going on runs, cooking, and spending time with loved ones. Even your coffee breaks should be taken on a strict schedule. -Jared Broad
Have some quiet time. Many great leaders meditate first thing in the morning. It only takes 15 minutes, and it's a great way to find some peace in a busy day. -Stephen Steinberg
Take advantage of vacations. With such a hectic workweek, don't feel guilty when you take vacations. While you are away, recharge as much as you can and enjoy the present moment. Try going somewhere entirely different from your work environment, such as a beach, mountain, or desert. -Serena Bian
Get really organized. Clean surroundings make for a clean mind. Try to minimize wasted time by getting rid of clutter on a daily basis. -Joseph Gi
Be more effective with your time. Try to work smarter, not harder. Use the 80/20 productivity rule - focus on the 20% of your activities that produce 80% of the results you want - to get more done in less time. Try reading "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss or "The Power of Less" by Leo Babauta. -Dimiter Stefanov
Communicate with your coworkers. You will be spending a lot of time with your team and your boss, so make sure you have a good relationship with them. Having good communication will also increase efficiency, so you won't waste time doing something your boss or team doesn't want. -Serena Bian
Love what you do. If you're spending 80-100 hours a week doing something you don't care about, you are probably going to be miserable. If you truly love something, the small stresses and difficulties that inevitably arise will be easier to handle. -April Gunn
Be grateful. Remind yourself there are countless people around the world who would trade for your life of "hard work" in a minute. Even having the opportunity to work can be considered a luxury. -Mathew Georghiou