Washingtonians Worked Over 1.1 Billion Unpaid Hours! 7 Tips To Improve That!
There is a meme floating around that really pulled on my heartstrings. It says:
"20 years from now, the only people who will remember that you worked late are your kids."
If you are of the mentality that lives by the motto "find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life," the results of this new survey from Rebel's Guide To Project Management might not be a big deal. For many others, their job/career is something that gets the bills paid (hopefully).
When life started to go back to normal following the pandemic, employees had more power in the workplace. Many places were hiring, and wages were rising, but that bargaining power died down as things leveled out. The act of Quiet Quitting was gaining momentum, but according to survey results, more and more are quietly working, FOR FREE!
In Washington, on average, workers spent an extra 4.7 hours a week doing their jobs off the clock. Adding this up, that is 244 hours over the year (compared to 2022), and collectively, the Washington workforce put in 1,178,941,359 hours of unpaid overtime.
With employees putting in this type of effort off the clock, it is no wonder Washingtonians experience burnout before the year is even half over!
When Will Washington Workers 'Burn Out'?
The reason for the unpaid hours could be a mixture of work deadlines and possibly poor time management (in my opinion). Who hasn't come to work and spent the first half hour of their day goofing off, socializing, or crying in a bathroom? (Joking… kind of).
Elizabeth Harrin of Rebel's Guide to Project Management offers a few tips to help get your time back so you're not finishing things off the clock.
7 TIPS TO REDUCE OFF THE CLOCK WORK TIME
Track Your Work Time: If you cannot handle the workload in the work day, talk to your supervisor to find a solution or a form of compensation.
Set Boundaries For Yourself and Your Work: When you're done with work, you're DONE WITH WORK. Avoid work in your off time (including work-related APPs). It's easier said than done, but start making it a goal, and eventually, it'll fall into place. In that same mindset, when you're at work, WORK.
Prioritize: List what's most important and hammer those out. For the lesser tasks, delegate them if possible.
Let Technology Help: If specific tasks can be performed with the help of technology, why not?
Communicate: Meetings are essential; work on streamlining them to get the most bang for your buck on the clock.
Legal Education: Know the labor laws and your worth! Make sure your employer knows them as well (nicely).
Lead by Example: Delegating your work was mentioned above, but don't do that if it means someone else will be working off the clock. Manage yourself and help others follow in your footsteps.
At the end of the day, be done and enjoy your life. It is the only one you have. Your time is meaningful; don't lose track of what really matters.
LOOK: Retail workers share 21 of the worst things customers do, especially during holidays
Gallery Credit: Mike Brant
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