Source: www.fastcompany.com
By understanding and managing the drivers that push you to work excessively, setting clear boundaries, and prioritizing effectively, you can enjoy a balanced workweek.
Do you find yourself working over your weekends? You’re not alone. A recent Harvard Business School study found that CEOs work an average of 62.5 hours a week, with 79% working weekends. Meanwhile, Samsung recently mandated a six-day workweek for leaders, to “inject a sense of crisis” after its weakest financial year in over a decade last year.
Samsung’s move reflects a profoundly misguided understanding of effective leadership. It’s akin to placing a bucket under a leaky roof instead of repairing the roof—likely to cause more harm than good. This decision underscores a common issue where leaders, under immense pressure to drive success, run up what I call an “emotional overdraft”—overcoming business challenges at the cost of their own mental and physical health.
Overworking leaders can lead to poor decisions, lower productivity, and increased burnout. Effective time management, including adequate rest and personal time, is crucial for sustaining high performance and leadership effectiveness.
Here’s how you can avoid this pitfall, stop working weekends, and maintain a 40-hour week without sacrificing success.