If you are not happy with what you have achieved in 8 hours of work, what do you do?

Aleksi Halsas
22 replies
I have good and bad habbit of continuing to work until things get done, but increasingly am starting to think I should just stop working and continue tomorrow. Since over time the productivity starts to decrease if you dont get enough rest. Though at the same time sometimes you just need to hustle. Would be great to hear other peoples thoughts on it?

Replies

Laura Partanen
I am very conscientious person, and few years ago I would have (and I did) continue working until I was happy. Fortunately, I've learned the importance of rest and being merciful for myself, so nowadays I mostly just stop working and continue the next day. Of course occasionally there might be so urgent things that they just have to be done still during that same day, and in those cases I continue working. However, this happens quite rarely anymore :)
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Wiktoria Jaszcza
@laura_partanen @maxine_buchert congrats :) thanks for sharing. When we are stubborn to finish in one go, we need more time to complete it ;)
Wiktoria Jaszcza
@laura_partanen same here. I learn to let go. "Flow" is a great state, but sometimes it doesn't bring a progress.
@laura_partanen I've been in a similar situation. For years I've worked into the early hours of the morning trying to get tasks done and I'd honestly be half-delirious trying to complete things until I was happy. Getting wiser over the last few years has led me to realise I work so much better once I've gotten proper rest. Once you get that rest, you're able to complete more over the long-term anyway!
Laura Partanen
@maxine_buchert That's true! You are more productive and get more things done with better quality, when you remember to rest :)
Tytti Sandström
Then I either end the day or start the next day by listing what I need to get done / what are my primary goals for the next day.
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Elias L
If you are in a good flow you can continue, otherwise call it a day. If there is an important deadline coming things are not so simple.
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Erica Y
Cry myself to sleep. Jk. I try actively to forget work and everything I was working on. My mind will process it subconsciously while I do something else not work-related and when I get back to it, I’ve probably figured a solution to the problem.
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Johannes Karjula
Stop working and plan next day better.
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Aki-Petteri Hokkanen
Try again tomorrow! Can’t force the flow 😊
Anu Varila
Stop working & go outside but before that i make a To do -list for the next day to make it as effective as possible.
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Arttu Haho
I would probably continue working but I'm lucky to have three kids and I don't want to value my work higher than them so I stop. Kids keep life balanced!
Mayank Bishwas
I make sure to have a relaxed time (preferably by going out) for the rest waking hours. It helps not to overthink and reset. But yeah...if something's on urgency, the story becomes different. You just focus on getting it done.
Anna Mandziuk 🇺🇦
Lol, I continue working, however, not until I'm happy, but until I pass out
Oli
Stop working, go out, go around or do something else to remove all your day from your head, if something come to your mind later... come back a moment to your desk and make it, or make a reminder for next day... Sometimes is just adding 2 lines on my UI or that break make you find a new way to an older problem and that change my all day perception in the last 2 min of work! I guess is the same feeling after watching a not so good movie and at the end, the generic music make you fell good/ happy and finally that shit was not so bad 🤣.
Tamara Maksimovic
I'm a designer and sometimes I just need to get away from my computer to change my environment, after a few hours I come up with a fresh new perspective on my project and new ideas.
Aleksi Halsas
@tamsika I think this is a skill every person working on a creative job needs to build.
Rushikesh Kavathekar
Thanks for bringing this point. A lot of the things started with personal expectations and specifically with result-oriented work. I focussed on processes rather than results, thus we have to plan our day but make sure there is a personal life which is existed as well. So, I don't take the work seriously.
Patricia
Ahaha clearly stop and go for a boxing bootcamp 🥊 . If you're ever in Paris ping me on twitter and we can go boxe at The Cercle ! Also, the next day I try to prioritise only 1 task I absolutely must do in the day and if I did that 1 task I need to feel progress.
Sini Katariina
I decide tomorrow is better day and do something fun
Venla Kärkimaa
I try my best to leave work at the workplace at the end of the day, since I'm writing my master's thesis on the evenings, which in itself is stressful enough. However, from time to time I do catch myself going through work-related stuff in my head after hours too.