Working 9-5

A great business coach of mine once challenged me with the view that, “Long hours are the refuge of the mediocre”. Gulp, I sure worked extensive hours, and certainly hoped no one considered me ‘mediocre’!

But he had a point, and his intentions were positive. OK, it’s impossible to achieve success without graft, but there has to be a limit. Even in my lifetime the meaning of working ‘9-5’ has shifted from being a hard worker (Dolly Parton even sang about it!), to today’s world where it means you’re a ‘slacker’. So, do be ambitious and do graft, but here’s a few reasons to keep a tab on your hours:

 - If your work is all you have you become one-dimensional.
- Long-hours cultures lead people to focus on being ever-present rather than high performing.
 - Long hours create stress and burn-out.
 - The best people jump ship and find a better workplace.