According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 5 million of Australia’s 7.9 million full-time employees put in more than 40 hours every week, with 1.6 million racking up more than 50 working hours.1
 

Deadlines or intense periods of activity in our working environment can sometimes mean we can’t stick to standard hours of work. It’s when long hours becomes the norm rather than the exception that it can negatively impact our health.
 

Most employers and managers recognise the need for people to have reasonable levels of work intensity, to work a reasonable length of time (7.5 to 8 hours), and to only work longer and more intensely on certain occasions.
 

Try to limit the amount of overtime you do. If it's becoming more normal than not to be working extra hours, discuss your duties with your manager. If it remains an issue you have the right to raise the issue with your Human Resources department or Occupational Health and Safety Officer. You might also consider talking with your union representative or getting advice from Fair Work Ombudsman. These conversations can be difficult, but most employment contracts outline your rights and the processes for raising concerns – so it's important to follow these procedures and seek appropriate advice.  

 

Scheduling meetings to begin and end only within core working hours will allow you to work with the certainty that your ‘out-of-hours’ times will be protected, so you can plan accordingly.
 

Common email diary systems allow you to block off times in your calendar and this lets others planning meetings – and who can see your diary – be aware of your commitments.  

 

Getting some fresh air and leaving your workplace or simply moving from your work area can help make you more productive at work. Often we see being busy as a ‘badge of honour’; being productive gives us a sense of self-worth and makes us valuable to our employers. However, being busy all the time will lead to burnout and reduced productivity. Research highlights that taking breaks, both physical and mental, can boost our productivity.
 

Some great ways to do this include:

• Take a break once an hour to increase work productivity
• Leave the workplace during lunch to stay refreshed during the afternoon
• Exercise at lunchtime to boost productivity for the rest of the afternoon
• Use breaks to help refocus
• Take time-out for an afternoon tea break which will provide more than just caffeine.

When we're busy or have pressing deadlines, it's easy to get into the habit of taking work home. But, this should be the exception and not the rule. 
 

By ensuring our work doesn’t come home with us we can pay full attention to those who are waiting for us at home and get the downtime we need for a healthy work-life balance. 
 

If you must take work home agree on a set time to do it. The earlier the better. There’s a risk that if you spend an hour or more working before you go to bed, you’ll be wide awake, possibly have a bad sleep which isn’t ideal for a productive next day – or your general wellbeing.

Having a complete break from work has mental and physical health benefits. Taking a holiday can help to reduce work-related stress, prevent anxiety and depression, and increase work performance and productivity – this should reassure your employer that it’s in their best interests too.  

Managing your schedule so you deliver work on time will not only contribute to improved productivity, it also helps you complete your tasks to a high standard and without undue pressure.
 

While any schedule is subject to change and few things run perfectly smoothly, following a process can be a huge help to meeting your objectives:

• Consider all the steps that need to be taken and external factors that could compromise the deadline.
• Plan ahead and create a step by step plan.
• Remove distractions, where possible, that might get in your way.
• Speak up and ask for help if the deadline is not achievable.
• Be transparent with all stakeholders.

When establishing a deadline consider the following aspects:

• Do I have any other immediate priorities that need to be dealt with first? 
• Will I be relying on anyone else to complete the task? (i.e. budget information, approval from senior management, delivery of goods) How long will it take those people to provide what I need?
• Can anyone else on my team help or pick up other jobs to allow me to concentrate on this task?
• Have I communicated to everyone involved what steps I will need to take to complete the task?
• Knowing my team / manager, how likely is it that I will be asked to complete other, unplanned tasks at the same time?
• Have I been overly ambitious in the past about setting myself a deadline? What did I learn from this?

 

It’s not always easy to say no. We all like to please our colleagues and be seen as a ‘can-do person’ in the workplace, but we all have the right to set work limits when demands exceed our capacity to deliver.
 

Don’t be afraid to say no and state your reasons. When your response is genuine it won’t mean you are letting your team down. It’s more likely to mean the task will be completed in a better way and you’ll be in a better position to say yes the next time.  

Many of us are required to work outside our normal working hours from time to time. But we all need a break from work to unwind and de-stress. None of us should be expected to send and receive work emails at all hours and both employees and managers need to ensure a culture of endless email-checking doesn’t become ingrained.
 

Some tips around email use:

• Ask yourself if you really need to be contactable 24/7
• If at all possible, don’t add your work emails to your personal mobile
• Try being strict with yourself about when you check your emails – don’t make it a habit or part of your routine outside work
• Lead by example – don’t let late-night emails become part of your work culture
• Ask yourself who's driving any expectation of out-of-hours emailing – is it coming from your manager, or do you enjoy feeling in demand? 
• If you're not able to respond to all urgent or important emails during your work day, it may be a sign that your workload is too high. You might need to discuss this with your manager.
   

If you have to check your emails during your personal time, try prioritising any actions and think about what can wait until the next day.