12 Unexpected Productivity Hacks That Actually Work
1) Work less.
Not only does working long hours cause health problems, but there's a wide body of research that shows productivity actually improves with shorter hours.
A 2014 study published by John Pencavel of Standford University found that how much employees get done takes a sharp drop after 50 hours of work in a week, and even more drastically after 55 hours. The study found that employees working 70 hours per week actually produce nothing more in those extra 15 hours.
What gives? Well, the more you work, the more mentally and physically tired you become. At some point -- usually around the eighth hour of work in a given day, according to Sara Robinson in Salon -- the resulting fatigue causes a drop in productivity. Unless you're invigorated by something like a critical deadline, you're unlikely to deliver to your full potential at that point. more here