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How to work smart and avoid burning out

Productivity often declines for workers after they exceed 40 hours a week, according to research. Shutterstock

We’re working all wrong. Productivity often declines for workers after they exceed 40 hours a week, according to research by John Pencavel of Stanford University. Yet according to Gallup, Americans with full-time jobs work an average of 47 hours a week. While it may be great to have 35-hour work-weeks, afternoon siestas, and a schedule based on our bodies’ rhythms, that’s usually not possible in today’s world. So here’s my guide -- based on the latest in scientific research -- on how to turn the 45-hour work-week most of us have into a more productive, healthy one.

6:00-7:00 a.m. – Wake up. If showering immediately isn’t your thing, meditate or get a small chore out of the way first. Do not check e-mails or your phone, because it will waste time and get you off to a slow start. And while many people like to get their workout out of the way, it’s actually better to wait until the afternoon. You can either eat breakfast or take a snack for later. Most of the research on whether breakfast in the morning is actually good for you is inconclusive (and sponsored by cereal companies).

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8:00-8:30 a.m. – Get to work. Arriving by 8:30 is preferable for many jobs. That way, if you’re running late, you’re still in before 9:00. You get an early start on the day, and you might be able to leave early without a guilty conscience.

8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. – Morning grind. Focus on managing energy, not time. Do not waste your energy planning your day in the morning. Finish one of your more important, time-consuming, or focus-requiring tasks. “Eating that Frog” in the morning is crucial to setting the pace for the rest of the day. Work for about 50 to 90 minutes and take 15 to 20 minute breaks. Do NOT multitask. During your breaks, get up from your desk, meditate, or grab a snack. Do not do computer work (checking e-mails, your cell phone, news, or social media) for more than two of these breaks in your day. If your body is better with precisely timed breaks, work for 52 consecutive minutes and take a 17-minute break, according to a DeskTime study. No matter what, make sure you don’t work for more than 90 minutes before you stop.

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12:00-1:00 p.m. – Lunch. Taking a lunch break is good. Socialize with your co-workers, perhaps taking a longer lunch break every other day. Check your personal e-mails and social media updates, if they are important. Unless you have a job that needs you to immediately respond to everything, this should be one of the only times you check your work e-mail and social media all day.

12:45-2:30 p.m. – Afternoon Grind. Immediately after lunch, get through one more 50-90 minute session of focus. Based on circadian rhythms, you should do your most important tasks within an hour or so of noon and 6 p.m., when you’re near your peak alertness. Around 3 p.m. is the worst time for focus, so plan less important things and watercooler time for late afternoons. If you’re in a boring meeting during the slow time of the afternoon, doodle.

2:30-3:30 p.m. – Coffee and meditate. If you drink a cup of coffee and then meditate for 10 to 15 minutes, it will help fight some of the afternoon slow-down and get you back on track.

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3:30-5:00 p.m. – Slower work. During the day, establish a policy so that if your door is open, people can stop by and interrupt what you’re doing. Keep it open in the afternoons and from around 10-11 a.m. if you have to. Close the door when you need to focus on projects, during the morning and afternoon grind.

5:00-5:30 p.m. – Before you leave. Finish up any last projects. Check your work e-mail and phone. Then plan your work for the next day. Go over any important things you need to remember like the names of new people you met and what you talked about. It will greatly increase your memory. Set deadlines and come up with meaningful ways to reward or punish yourself for them. Note that you should only be “working” intently for about 20 to 25 hours per week. The rest of the time you should be in meetings, events, building your visibility, building skills, coming up with new ideas, and hanging out with colleagues.

5:30-6:30 p.m. – Exercise/Alcohol. Exercising in the late afternoon is ideal, because muscle strength tends to peak between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.. Because your body clock is at its peak, this is also the best time to drink alcohol without it affecting you.

8:00 p.m. – Dinner. Don’t eat too much later than this.

11:00 p.m. – Sleep. Try to get up and sleep at the same time every day, even the weekends. Don’t use screens for about 30 minutes before you go to sleep. Taking a relaxing shower, reading, or listening to music allows your mind to decompress and innovate. Make sure you’re getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night.

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Isvari Mohan can be reached at voice@isvari.com. Follow her on Twitter @IsvariM.