You do everything you can to make your working hours productive, from experimenting with time-management strategies to prioritizing job training. But did you know that shifting your work schedule could be the key to leveling up at the office? Read on to discover which work schedule is ideal for your biology, age, and personality!
1. Traditional 9 – 5
The classic work schedule that many companies default to for their full-time employees. These work hours can be ideal for employees in their late teens to mid-20s, who tend to go to bed and wake up later. In fact, circadian rhythms (the biological clocks that regulate the body) are different for teenagers and young adults than older folks due to a release of melatonin (the hormone that helps to control sleeping and waking cycles) later in the day.
2. Flexible Schedule
Flexible schedules are exactly what they sound like: working periods that aren’t limited to the traditional 9 AM to 5 PM. This could mean a variety of work schedules designed to fit work around life instead of life around work, such as:
- Hours that change every day depending on when you want to come in or what commitments you need to adapt to (dropping children at school, for instance)
- A 9/80 flexible schedule, in which you work longer hours for 9 business days and receive the 10th off every other week
- A results-only work environment (ROWE), where your performance is judged based upon results and not the number or agenda of hours worked
To figure out whether a non-traditional schedule is for you, consider whether you thrive under structure and routine or prefer freedom and flexibility. For example, do you like sleeping and waking at the same time every day? Do you have the discipline to complete your work without daily deadlines and consistent oversight?
3. Lark Time
If you’re genetically predisposed to be a morning person (known as a “lark”), shifting your schedule forward in the day can take advantage of your most productive hours. Start your working hours earlier and beat everyone to the office for a productive AM block, and get your hardest tasks done before lunchtime. We won’t judge you if you close your eyes for a quick nap after chowing down, too.
4. Night Owl Hours
The opposite of front-loaded hours, the night owl work schedule is optimized for people who hit their stride in the afternoon and evening. If your alarm’s snooze button is worn out and you need 3 cups of coffee just to make it to the office at 9 AM, you’re a confirmed night owl. Try a work schedule that starts and ends later, such as 11 AM to 7 PM, to leverage your periods of greatest alertness.
5. Task-Based Block Schedule
Switching tasks consumes a lot of mental energy. For example, it takes roughly 25 minutes to regain flow after a distraction! Combat mental fatigue and encourage deep work by breaking work into blocks of similar tasks, such as two hours of finalizing new hire paperwork followed by two hours of onboarding and 30 minutes of answering emails.
6. Interval-Based Agenda
An alternative to the task-based schedule, time-based blocking encourages working for optimal intervals—usually 25 minutes—and then taking breaks of 15 to 30 minutes for mental recuperation. Also known as the Pomodoro Technique, this productivity-boosting work schedule is perfect for those who are easily distracted or tend to procrastinate.
7. Split Shift
Do you experience a huge afternoon slump? It could just be in your biology. The perfect schedule for your body may be a split shift, where you put in half your day in the morning and finish up in the late afternoon or early evening. A break in the middle enables you to relax, rejuvenate, and come back to the office refreshed.
Having the right schedule can make a huge difference in your productivity or the effectiveness of your team members. Be sure to address it during the onboarding process!
Managers, learn more about onboarding for success in our free white paper, “Building Blocks for a Perfect First Year on the Job!”
FAQs
RELY ON THE 52-17 RULE. Schedule 52 minutes of work followed by 17 minutes of rest open_in_new to give your brain a break from constant output. You can adjust the ratio to work better for your schedule. TAKE BREAKS THAT INVOLVE A CHANGE OF SCENERY.
How much should you work according to science? ›
Ideal work hours per day to be productive. Though people usually work for 8 hours a day, no one is productive for that long. Scientists say the ideal daily working time is around 6 hours, and these should be concentrated in the morning.
What is the ideal working time? ›
However, scientists generally agree that the ideal working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning. Employees take advantage of their most productive hours and focus on other daily activities including social, sporting, and cultural.
What is a good work schedule? ›
Conclusion. For many employers, a standard nine-to-five work schedule works just fine. For others, a more flexible work schedule gets the job done. Whether your team operates on a flexible work schedule or a fixed work schedule, you need to set clear expectations and ensure you have employee buy-in.
What is your ideal work day? ›
An ideal, productive workday for me starts with waking up early and getting a good breakfast. I then spend some time reading and reflecting on my goals for the day. I like to start my day with a few easy tasks that I can easily accomplish, which helps me build momentum and get into a productive mindset.
How do you make an ideal schedule? ›
Steps to create a daily schedule
- Start with a list. Start by writing down a to-do list of all your tasks and assignments. ...
- Block off your time. As mentioned, time blocking is an essential part of building an effective schedule. ...
- Remember to be flexible. ...
- Prioritize your tasks. ...
- Use a daily planner template.
So, there is a strong argument that the ideal work week should be not more than 40 hours, so perhaps between 35 and 40 hours. The four-day work week? The idea of the four day working week was originated by American labor union leader Walter Reuther, but it has not caught on.
What according to science is work? ›
work, in physics, measure of energy transfer that occurs when an object is moved over a distance by an external force at least part of which is applied in the direction of the displacement.
How many hours should I work per day? ›
What is the law in California? Under California wage and hour laws, there is no limit to the number of hours an employee can work in a single workday. They can work the full 24-hour period, if they want to. However, workers who do so are entitled to overtime pay and potentially other benefits, as well.
What is the healthiest shift work schedule? ›
Optimal scheduling would use a clockwise (morning-afternoon-night) rotational schedule: limiting night shifts to blocks of 3, limiting shift duration to 8 hours, and allowing 3 days of recuperation after night shifts.
The ideal work-to-break ratio was 52 minutes of work, followed by 17 minutes of rest. People who maintained this schedule had a unique level of focus in their work. For roughly an hour at a time, they were 100% dedicated to the task they needed to accomplish.
What is a good work-life balance schedule? ›
Schedule short vacations during the weekend and longer ones at equal quarters (According to an Expedia study, out of 15 vacation days, each American just takes 12 days, thus failing to take 375 million days in a year overall) Try to do one task at a time. Avoid the stress of multitasking.
What is the perfect daily schedule? ›
You may find it helpful to break down bigger tasks into smaller sub-tasks and use the Pomodoro Technique: Work in 25-minute focused sprints followed by a 5-minute break. Every 4 sprints take a longer 30-minute break. When it comes to your daily schedule, don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
What is the 4 5 5 4 5 5 shift schedule? ›
The system involves four (4) shifts on, five (5) off followed by five (5) shifts on, four (4) shifts off followed by five (5) shifts on, five (5) shifts off, on a continuing basis. 2. The shifts will start at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
What is a work schedule example? ›
A standard business schedule is one where employees work set days (usually Monday through Friday) and set hours (usually 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). This is often referred to as a “9-to-5 work schedule.” The standard work schedule is common enough that most employees will already be used to working those regular hours.
What is the ideal 4 day work schedule? ›
How does a four-day workweek work? A four-day workweek is a fairly straightforward work flexibility concept. Rather than working a standard 40-hour workweek across five working days, employees work fewer hours (typically 32 to 36 hours per week) across four working days. Employees get a three-day weekend every week.
What is your normal work schedule? ›
A standard business schedule is one where employees work set days (usually Monday through Friday) and set hours (usually 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). This is often referred to as a “9-to-5 work schedule.” The standard work schedule is common enough that most employees will already be used to working those regular hours.
Is a 2 2 3 work schedule good? ›
Advantages of the 2-2-3 shift schedule
It's not surprising that employee satisfaction is generally higher with a 2-2-3 shift schedule than with other schedules. This is primarily due to the amount of time off and a limited amount of consecutive shifts.
