Why you don’t need to work 24/7 to be a success

Here are just a few reasons why overworking isn’t always the keys to success:

1. Improve decision making

Working longer hours can have a negative impact on your decision making skills. Whether you need to decide what supplier to go with, what person to hire, or how to allocate your budget, if you are tired from constantly working you may make mistakes or low quality decisions. The New York Times reported that fatigue is one of the main causes of unhealthy decision making both at home and in work.

So by working less hours, you will be able to make better decisions.

2. Slow down to reduce conflict

Sometimes if you work long hours and you have a lot of work on, you will most likely want to rush through conversations and meetings to get more things done. This can create conflict and even damage relationships in the long-term. To solve these problems, Psychology Today believes that you should slow conversations down and really listen to what others have to say.

3. Exercise after work to improve focus

If you are working in a job that requires decision making, freshness and mental clarity is critical. According to research, aerobic exercise improves memory function. Remembering procedures, tasks and other parts of your job is key to success. If you’re spending your evening finishing off your day’s work, you won’t have time for exercise.

Make a start to a weekly routine that’s achievable, then build on it from there.

4. Discover when you work best and do your most difficult tasks then

Most people’s energy levels vary throughout the day. So find out when you work best – where your highest quality of work is done in the quickest time. When your find this out, plan your hardest tasks in that time slot. This will hopefully make the rest of the day a total breeze!

If you attempt challenging tasks when you have little energy reserves, you will be prone to making mistakes.