Back when I was a student, working on my first TYPO3 projects, I followed the pattern of every "successful" freelancer: I worked overtime, every other night and skipped weekends. Whining about still not getting my work done in 12 hours a day, a friend of mine gave me a good advice: try doing it in 4 hours instead.
Despite being reluctant I followed his advice for a couple of weeks and while it took some time getting used to it, I ended up being much more focussed and tackling the important rather than the non-important urgent tasks.
If you already start your day knowing that you are going to work 12 hours, you will follow the notion of "now that I have to work for so many hours anyway, I can as well spend some time procrastinating".
These days I'm falling into the trap again. Besides some paid customer work I'm putting the same time on top for getting my freelance bussinnes running and working on Flow and Neos. It feels like a three-month sprint. Now, sprints can set free a lot of energy, but you can't sprint forever.
Today I stumbled across a post "Stop working (so hard)". It reminded me of that old advice and set my goal for (somewhen) this year:
Kyle Bragger wrote on medium.com:
Nowadays, I’m working 4-day weeks, and doing no more than an hour or two of intense work at a time. I take a lot of walks. I’ve lost weight. I’m happier. My wife is happier. I’m more present. And most importantly:
I’m doing the best work of my life.
What is your working model? Do you take a walk during work time? Spend nights working despite having a partner and family?
Marc Neuhaus | 04.04.2013
I find myself trapped in that mud as well currently...
Christian | 04.04.2013
I tend to overwork and my procrastination is actually answering stuff in TPYO3/Flow/Neos IRC channels, so it's not too bad, currently I am in the process to reduce work times and the final step would actually to come down to a 4-day week as described. I think it will take me quite some time to get there, but we'll see. I also think about moving some work time to saturday and reserve that for tasks that need lots of concentration which is sometimes difficult to find during the week, with chats, skype, phone and emails happening...
Franz | 05.04.2013
Robert, you are truly an inspiration!
I will try, promised ... just next month :)
Andrew | 06.04.2013
For me, the standard 8 hours a day, 5 days a week cycle works the best - and boy did I try other cycles ))
Fedir | 13.04.2013
I'm agree with the point, what we shouldn't stay at the office, should make regular breaks : to breath, to move, to think alternatively.
But if You will work 1 hour during the day instead of 8 hours, I'm sincerely believe, what the result will be proportional.
If You want to be happy : don't work at all.
If Your aim the result of Your project : Your life must transform in hackathon 24h/24h