Enough with the hate on 9-to-5 jobs! Sure, having a flexible schedule sounds cool and all, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Sometimes, not having set hours can actually make you less productive, more stressed, and even lead to burnout.
Guess what? It’s 2024 and we’ve got options! Let’s figure out what really works for you.
About Me and This Article
Before you read further, I wanted to clarify where this article is coming from. And as you’ll find out, I love bullet points:
- I worked in an office with a very strict schedule for almost my first decade in the working environment.
- Since 2016, I’ve been working remotely, both from home and co-working spaces.
- I’ve been both an employee and a company owner, so I can speak from both experiences.
- I truly and deeply hate imposed limitations or being told what I should do. That’s why I’ve always made my best effort to choose freely and as objectively as I can.
- On these lines, I usually don’t trust or follow popular opinions. As a matter of fact, they raise too many red flags to me.
- For the last few years, especially after COVID, I’ve heard too many people complaining about 9-to-5 jobs, even saying things like “9-to-5 is for weak people with insecure managers.”
This article is just me saying, “Wow, wait a minute—let’s think about it.” Especially after experiencing the consequences of a “flexible” schedule firsthand. Remote work with flexible schedules requires super strong and organized personalities. It is definitely not for everyone. I invite you to take a moment to read my whole reflection below.
The Value of Boundaries
Just as you want strangers to stay off your private property, it’s equally important to keep work out of your family time. Boundaries aren’t just physical; they’re crucial for maintaining a healthy balance between your job and your life outside of it.
- Setting the Stage with Time: 9-to-5 jobs create a clear boundary around your work hours. You clock in and clock out at the same times every day, which means you can plan your personal life without worrying about work spilling over. Your evenings are yours, not your employer’s or your company’s.
- Space to Focus: Having a dedicated workspace signals to your brain that it’s “go time” for productivity. Just as importantly, leaving that space helps you switch off from work mode, preserving the sanctity of your home as a personal space.
- Mental Divides: When work has a physical and temporal boundary, your mind gets the message too. It learns when to focus on work tasks and when to release stress and recharge, which can stave off burnout and keep you feeling motivated.
The Evil Queen (from Once Upon a Time), my favorite character ever, would cast a Protection Spell every time she wanted to keep intruders at bay. You have the same magic to protect your time, focus, and energy. Use it. This magic, unlike The Evil Queen’s, doesn’t come with a dark price 😊.
Protect your well-being as fiercely as The Evil Queen protects her treasures.
The Danger of Remote Work and “Flexible Schedule”
Flexible schedules and remote work sound like freedom—until they don’t. The appeal of managing your own time can quickly turn into a trap when the boundaries between work and personal life start to blur.
- No Clear End to the Day: When your home is your office, where do you draw the line? Without a specific time to log off, work hours can stretch indefinitely. What was supposed to be a flexible schedule can morph into all-day work marathons.
- Always On Call: With your “office” just a few steps away, it becomes too easy for colleagues and clients to expect you to be available 24/7. This can lead to the dreaded 10 PM emails that demand immediate responses, setting a precedent that you’re always ready and willing to work, regardless of the hour.
- Clarity and Expectations: When every hour could be a working hour, it’s hard to know what time is for focused work, what’s for brainstorming, and what’s for stepping back and recharging. This lack of structure can make it difficult to prioritize and manage tasks effectively, leading to decreased productivity and increased stress.
- Entrepreneurial Exhaustion: For entrepreneurs, the absence of a fixed work schedule can mean work consumes everything. There’s always more to be done, and without clear boundaries, it’s nearly impossible to say, “That’s enough for today.” This can lead to working weekends, skipping vacations, and never truly disconnecting.
The danger of remote work and flexible schedules lies in these blurry limits. What’s intended to enhance flexibility can often reduce quality of life, turning flexibility into a double-edged sword that cuts into your personal time just as much as it frees up your workday.
Pros and Cons of 9-to-5 Jobs
Many people rush to disregard the 9-to-5 schedule, often criticizing the corporate world for using it as a means to control people’s lives. However, after reflecting on it, I find that having a fixed schedule can bring many benefits. Here’s a closer look at what makes the traditional 9-to-5 both advantageous and challenging.
Pros
- Clear Time Boundaries: The classic 9-to-5 sets, by definition, firm start and end times to your workday. You’re expected to work during these hours and then disconnect, allowing for personal time, family, or hobbies afterwards. This clear delineation helps prevent the workday from bleeding into your personal life, reducing the likelihood of working late into the night.
- Reduced Distractions: With everyone aware of standard working hours, colleagues and clients are likely to respect your time, contacting you within these boundaries. This can lead to fewer interruptions from external demands outside of work hours, enabling better focus during the day.
- More Focused Work: A set schedule means it’s clear you are “at work” during these hours. This can help you and others around you respect this time for professional tasks only, enhancing productivity and focus.
Cons
- Not Suitable for Everyone: Fixed hours don’t accommodate everyone’s personal or family commitments, especially in a global context where time zones can significantly impact collaboration across borders.
- Limited Flexibility: Sometimes, opportunities or demands arise outside of the standard work hours, such as early meetings with clients in different time zones or late-night deadlines for specific projects. In such cases, strict 9-to-5 jobs can be a limitation.
- Late Start for Some: For morning people, starting at 9 AM might mean missing several productive hours. If you find yourself more energetic and efficient in the early morning, negotiating an earlier start and finish time, like 8 to 4, 7 to 3, or 6 to 2, could be more beneficial.
The Challenges of Remote Work
While working from home offers flexibility and comfort, it comes with its own set of challenges that can affect productivity, mental health, and social skills. Here’s what to watch out for if you’re considering or currently navigating remote work:
- Lack of Time Boundaries: Without the structure of office hours, work can easily seep into early mornings and late nights. This blurring of time can lead to constant distractions and interruptions, decreasing productivity. Over time, this might create a backlog of work that grows unmanageable, leading to heightened anxiety and potential burnout.
- Space Boundaries: When your home doubles as your office, it’s hard to fully engage in either work or family life. Common questions like, “Are you here or working?” highlight the challenge of not being fully present in any aspect, which can strain both work performance and personal relationships.
- Equipment and Connectivity: Effective remote work requires reliable internet and appropriate equipment. Many find themselves needing to invest in high-speed internet, possibly from multiple providers to ensure constant connectivity. Beyond internet, a proper workspace with the necessary technology and comforts that support productivity is crucial.
- Reduced Social Interactions: Humans are inherently social beings. Remote work can significantly reduce face-to-face interactions, affecting not just personal well-being but also team dynamics. Regular interactions in a physical office help foster teamwork and collaboration, which can be harder to replicate virtually.
- Deterioration of Social Skills: The isolation that sometimes accompanies remote work can lead to comfort in solitude, making social interactions seem daunting. This is especially poignant following long periods of isolation, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. As social skills get rusty, the idea of meeting people or reintegrating into social settings can become overwhelming.
Remote work isn’t just a logistical change; it’s a lifestyle adjustment that can deeply influence your work habits, social life, and overall well-being. While it offers numerous benefits, being aware of these challenges is crucial for anyone working from or considering a shift to a home office.
🎤 Watch here my interview with Lithium’s CEO Rodrigo Silva about Remote Work.
9-to-5 Jobs: Not the True Cause of Burnout
Many articles argue that traditional 9-to-5 jobs leads to burnout, suggesting that more flexible schedules pose less risk. However, my view is different.
I believe that what truly causes burnout is not the fixed schedule itself, but rather the lack of flexibility within that structure. Being too flexible can be just as risky.
When limits become blurry, productivity often drops, and anxiety can spike.
As my father used to say, both extremes are bad. It’s crucial to find the right balance. Having, at least, a defined end time to your workday isn’t just useful—it’s critically important for your health and long-term well-being. Nonetheless, it’s equally important to incorporate a reasonable degree of flexibility in managing your time. This allows you to respond to unexpected situations in a controlled and organized way, ensuring that you maintain both productivity and peace of mind.
Tips for a Healthy Flexible Schedule
In today’s ever-evolving work environment, keeping an open mind is more crucial than ever. This means actively exploring all possible work arrangements, deeply understanding your own working habits, and finding a setup that not only suits your immediate needs but also supports your long-term well-being.
- Evaluate All Options: Don’t just jump on the bandwagon of popular opinion. While remote work and flexible schedules are trending, they might not be the best fit for everyone. Keep an open mind attitude!
- Develop Self-Awareness: Pay close attention to how different work environments affect your productivity and mental health. Notice when you feel most energetic and when you tend to lag or feel anxious.
- Plan for the Long Term: It’s easy to get caught up in what feels right now, but how will your chosen work setup affect you down the line? Think about future career goals, personal commitments, and overall life balance. What works today may need adjustment as your circumstances change. And… life changes all the time.
- Avoid Burnout: Implement strategies to prevent burnout before it starts. Set clear boundaries for work hours, ensure regular breaks, and prioritize tasks to maintain efficiency without overwhelming yourself. Remember, consistently working longer hours doesn’t necessarily equate to better results—it often just leads to increased stress and decreased health.
- Experiment, Reflect, and Adapt: Try out various work settings to see what suits you best. Every couple of weeks—or even months—take a moment to reflect on how your current work arrangement is affecting your life. Is it enhancing your well-being? Or is it causing stress? Based on these reflections, make the necessary adjustments. You have the power to control your life and create systems that help you thrive.
Final Thoughts: Think Twice
Resist the urge to blindly follow the latest trends just because everyone else is. It’s important to listen to your own needs and preferences to determine what truly suits you.
As you read this post, feel free to take what resonates with you and consider integrating it into your life—or not!
Remember, you have the ultimate power to make your own decisions. Choose wisely.
