5 Reasons Why Working Late is Bullshit

5 Reasons Why Working Late is Bullshit Recent studies  show millions of people regularly work overtime for no extra pay; around a fifth of the UKs workforce. While their  unpaid hours can boost the economy by more than   £30 billion, they dont actually see any of it  themselves! Whether its due to a busy schedule, serious workload or simply the expectations of your employer, working late is  one of the top factors in the ongoing conflict between work and the rest of your life. Even if you LOVE your job, which I can imagine many people reading this do, there are a number of reasons  why you should be leaving on time. Check out the top 5 reasons why working late is bullsh*t  ?: 1) You need to recharge your batteries People often think that working late signifies that youre working hard. This is not always true, in fact, sometimes it can signal  quite the opposite!  Often, a shorter working day means youre more focused on the tasks you need to complete, leaving distractions at the door. Working long, laborious days will decrease your attention span, making it hard to concentrate and reduce your productivity overall. Its also easy to fall into the cycle where you stay late in the evening, meaning the next day youre tired and less productive, so you have to  stay late again in order to complete the days tasks. This can be a dangerous routine  to fall into. Basically, were all human and no matter how much you love your job, you NEED a life outside of it and leaving work at a sensible hour can be a good way to start. 2) Staying late is actually bad for your health This is definitely one to tell the boss:  staying late is actually very bad for your overall health. A recent study has shown that those who work late in the office have an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Feeling well-rested can boost your immune system, take care of your mental health,  reduce the risk of diabetes  the list goes on. Making sure youre well-rested will boost your productivity during your (shorter) working hours. Working late can also make your feel resentful towards your work, which is not good for your mental health or your productivity. 3) You should be able to complete your tasks within your working hours Your set hours are your set hours for a reason. If you find yourself staying late again and again simply because youve not completed your workload, it might be time to discuss with your colleagues/boss/manager about the current distribution of work and responsibilities. You should be able to complete everything within your given period of time, and if your current set up isnt working for you, change it. 4) Staying late isnt going to help you reach your long term goals Take a step back and consider your priorities. Whats the true north that youre working towards? If you know that your overtime isnt helping you reach these goals, or is even halting your plans, its time to stop. It doesnt matter whether your priorities lie with your work or your personal life, staying late at work isnt going to help develop either of those. 5) Extended hours dont equal extended productivity Lets quickly take a look at a country where there is most definitely mutual respect between employer and employee: Sweden! Swedes are well known for their easy going approach to work and their take on the school system, and lets not forget meatballs. Mm. Only around 1% of the workforce in Sweden work more than 50 hours a week. Swedes have 25 vacation days (usually more when working at a large company!) and are very rarely in the office after 5pm. Productivity remains high despite the shorter hours and additional holiday. On that note, BRB,  just packing my bags! Image credit: Shutterstock