So, if you\u2019re looking for a way to keep your head above water even if you have to work around the clock, stay put and read on, for we have tips on how to cope with working long hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
15 Tips on how to cope with working long hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Trying to finish your tasks in one sitting and hoping for the best is the least recommended strategy when it comes to successfully coping with long hours of work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what should you do, exactly, when there\u2019s a bunch of tasks to be done and it seems like there are not enough hours in a day to complete them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If only there was something you could do to avoid the dangerous consequences of working long hours\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, perhaps you\u2019ll be glad to hear there are as many as 15 things you could do to cope with long hours of work, and we\u2019ve listed them all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tip #1 \u2014 Make a precise schedule \ud83d\udcdd<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you plan your entire day to the minute, you\u2019ll find it easier to work longer \u2014 because you\u2019ll know how you\u2019ll be spending your day in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, list your priorities in a clear to-do list<\/strong> \u2014 make sure your priorities are crucial, urgent, and important tasks, i.e. tasks that will significantly take the load off your shoulders for the upcoming days.<\/p>\n\n\n Make sure you track your progress, by adding checkmarks next to the items you\u2019ve finished thus far<\/strong> \u2014 you\u2019ll feel a sense of progress and success as the number of green checkmarks increases.<\/p>\n\n\n By keeping and tracking such a to-do list, you\u2019ll minimize the chances of an unexpected priority task popping up in your mind at 10 p.m. \u2014 because you\u2019ll have all your tasks already listed and accounted for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Clockify Pro tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for a simple way to keep track of your progress, make sure to check out our 22 free to-do list templates for all types of tasks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re not a big fan of to-do lists, but you\u2019d still like to give structure to your long hours, time blocking<\/a> could be your best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything you need to do is go through your tasks for the day, define the exact times you\u2019ll spend working on them, and reserve a specific time slot in your calendar for each task that you need to complete. You can also use a time blocking planner template<\/a> for this purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n By blocking a specific amount of time for each task you\u2019ll become less likely to give in to distracting and low-value work (such as emails). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, after blocking your schedule for a while, you\u2019ll be able to recognize your most productive hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re using Clockify by CAKE.com<\/a> to keep track of the time you spend working, you\u2019ll quickly be able to recognize your most productive hours in a Calendar view<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Get started with Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This information will help you get through long working hours more efficiently since you\u2019ll know exactly when\u2019s the moment to pull the brakes instead of scheduling a demanding task. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you have a lot to do, it\u2019s best that you focus your attention on your priority work activities instead of taking constant breaks to finish chores or reply to emails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, what should you do when too many things require your attention, but there aren\u2019t enough hours in a day to finish them all? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, there is a solution \u2014 it\u2019s automation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Automation can save you both time and energy, especially if you\u2019re in a rush. You can order your food, groceries, or basic home supplies online and save yourself the trouble of going out when you should be focusing on work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you frequently need to send similar emails, you\u2019ll probably be more than happy to hear that you can automate this process too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re using Gmail, you can enable Templates for automatic replies and avoid having to waste precious time going through dozens of emails. You can find this option in Gmail\u2019s Advanced settings.<\/p>\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve enabled this option, simply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, Gmail will send your email template automatically as soon as you receive an email that matches your criteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing how much time you spend on your tasks gives you a sense of control \u2014 and tracking time on all your tasks<\/a> helps you gain and maintain this control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your best bet is to track time as you work on tasks. Each time you start working on a task, start the timer, and then stop it once you\u2019ve finished the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This way, you will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the end consequence of your time tracking efforts, you\u2019ll be better at organizing your day \u2014 and making your extended work hours really count. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Time tracking software used by millions. Clockify by CAKE.com is a time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects.<\/p>\n\n You already know that if you want to get work done, you\u2019ll need to steer clear of distractions. But, when your entire family is watching your favorite sitcom while you need to focus on a lengthy report, avoiding distractions can seem easier said than done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, there are ways to prevent distractions from reducing your chances to concentrate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you live in a small apartment and you\u2019re unable to isolate yourself in a separate room while working, you can always use noise-canceling headphones and listen to an online noise generator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In case your phone makes your mind wander from work, it would be best if you could put your phone away or use a website blocker app. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This way, you\u2019ll be less likely to give in to distractions, and even increase the chances of finishing your tasks much earlier than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1Clockify Pro tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From desk clutter to chatty coworkers, a typical workplace seems to be a teeming well of distractions. Still, there are ways to overcome the challenges of working in an office full of people, and we\u2019ve listed them all:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you still find it hard to focus despite all the attempts to ward off distractions, you might want to consider adjusting your work hours to your circadian rhythm<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on whether you find it more natural to do your best work in the morning or you feel more productive at night, you can pick your extreme time slots and tailor your workday according to your Biological Prime Time. <\/p>\n\n\n If you\u2019re a morning lark<\/a> you can try scheduling your most important work extremely early, such as 5 a.m. But, if you feel more energized late at night, perhaps you are more of a night owl<\/a> and you would benefit from working after midnight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whichever the case, try to pick a time slot when you\u2019re absolutely sure no one will disturb you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you decide to organize your tasks around a time when hardly anyone is awake, you decrease the chances of someone disrupting your workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you ever think about rewarding yourself with a box of chocolates for finishing a long day of work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although sweets aren\u2019t always a bad idea, especially if you need a bit of a push to get through the long hours, there\u2019s one more trick you could use when you lack the motivation<\/a> to begin working. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s say you need to write a monthly report, but you also have to walk your dog. Since you\u2019d prefer to go outside instead of working on the dreaded report, you can use this to your advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Premack\u2019s principle<\/a>, we are more likely to do a demanding task if there\u2019s an easier task as a reward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if you promise yourself to take a walk with your dog as soon as you\u2019re done with the report, it would be much easier to tackle the demanding task \u2014 because you\u2019ll know there\u2019s a different activity waiting for you just around the corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should never sacrifice your sleep for anything<\/em> \u2014 this may sound like lazy talk, but the truth is that you need enough sleep to deliver quality work in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, having a busy schedule for a couple of days and getting 8\u20139 hours of sleep rarely mix. But you can make up for lost sleep time by practicing power naps<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a sleep researcher<\/strong>, Sarah Mednick<\/a>, 20\u201390<\/strong> minutes of nap time during the day helps with memorization, creativity, perceptual processing, and alertness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nowadays, with flexible working hours<\/a> where you\u2019re expected to work for a predefined number of hours, but not necessarily in one go, napping at work is no longer a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just remember that afternoon hours are perfect for a short nap, because your body is already used to the idea of slowing down around lunchtime \u2014 so, schedule at least one nap anytime between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. for the best effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such a nap (or a couple of them) will help refresh you and give you the boost of energy necessary to help you keep going late into the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Focusing when you\u2019re hungry is like Anakin Skywalker thinking he can beat Obi-Wan despite not having the high ground at Mustafar \u2014 simply, don\u2019t try it<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t think, focus, or perform on an empty stomach \u2014 and, sadly, food replacement pills you could gulp in seconds and feel full have yet to be patented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, you\u2019ll need to eat the old-fashioned way \u2014 this includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and nutritious snacks in between meant to help keep you healthy and energized for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As mentioned, you can order all your meals in \u2014 but, apart from being expensive on a regular basis, this practice isn\u2019t always healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, instead of going for your phone as soon as you hear your stomach growling, you can try prepping your meals the night before when you\u2019re aware there\u2019s a busy day ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply make overnight oatmeal or roast some chicken the day before and put it in the freezer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget to include healthy productivity-boosting snacks, such as almonds or walnuts, remember to drink plenty of water, and you\u2019ll be good to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, try to make sure you eat at the same time every day. This way, you’ll build a subconscious routine to eat regularly and retain your energy levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re aware that you\u2019ll have to work off-the-clock<\/a>, you might be tempted to resort to gallons of coffee to keep your energy levels high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, despite your strong urge to get up and prepare another cup of coffee, it would be better to hold off this decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re not careful about your caffeine intake, you increase your chances of suffering from insomnia, anxiety, and increased heart rate<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, what about all the benefits of your daily dose of caffeine? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, although caffeine consumption<\/a> has been associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer\u2019s, Parkinson\u2019s disease, and liver damage, it\u2019s best not to consume more than the recommended four to five cups of coffee<\/a> to ward off the harmful effects of caffeine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking to churn out quality work, breaks are as important as the time you spend working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it\u2019s not uncommon to forget to move away from your desk \u2014 especially when you\u2019re trying to stay on top of your hectic to-do list \u2014 research<\/a> suggests that taking a break once every hour can actually improve your focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During these breaks, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Clockify Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Clockify for Mac<\/a> and browser extensions for Chrome<\/a>, Firefox<\/a> and Edge<\/a> allow you to define the time for your work sessions and your breaks with a Pomodoro timer<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 you\u2019re then automatically reminded to take a break or start a new work session. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Your one-way 1-hour commute time<\/a> doesn\u2019t have to be a curse. Think of it as some extra time you can spend cutting down the long hours you\u2019d spend working in the office or at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are plenty of ways you can go about it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you make it your habit to do any of this, your commute time may become an integral part of your workday, and a great time saver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No one is capable of doing everything at once, despite what your work time estimates<\/a> might tell you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, this doesn\u2019t mean that your work needs to stretch to infinity. To get the best results and keep your stress levels low, try asking for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you know you\u2019ve already exhausted all the simple solutions and you can\u2019t seem to figure out a problem on your own, it\u2019s always better to turn to your colleagues instead of wasting hours to work it out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The same goes for tasks that are not related to work. If you already know that you\u2019ll have to work longer than usual, ask a friend or a family member for help around the house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If they are not busy at the same time as you, they would probably not mind sparing a minute to give you a hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just don\u2019t forget to return the favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, when the workday seems never-ending and you just want to give up, crawl into your bed, and stay under the covers forever<\/em>, remember all the famous and successful people who often work long hours \u2014 and take inspiration from them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet your joy be in your journey \u2014 not in some distant goal.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Tim Cook had some big shoes to fill when he took over from Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple \u2014 to keep the company on top, he starts sending emails at 4:30 a.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s the first to arrive at the office, and the last one to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you do every job like you\u2019re going to do it for the rest of your life, that\u2019s when you get noticed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Mary Barra got a job at General Motors when she was only 18 \u2014 her dedication and swift decision-making helped her go from Pontiac parts inspector in 1980 to CEO in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During her career, she has built her reputation by having the habit of arriving at the office first, and still replying to emails as late as 11 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s the first female CEO General Motors ever had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top position.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When she was a child, Serena Williams used to arrive at the tennis court at 6 a.m. and go to the tennis court once again after school. Most of her life has revolved around tennis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her hard work and long hours of dedication brought her 23 Grand Slam singles titles. Today, more than 20 years since her first Grand Slam, she\u2019s still one of the best tennis players around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll probably finish your long work session at one point and step away from your computer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, shutting down your computer after a long day of work does not necessarily mean that your workday is over \u2014 if you don\u2019t allow your mind to disconnect too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, something as simple as changing your environment might do the trick in helping you to unplug. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"to-do-list\"](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/to-do-list-min-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"to-do-list-in-progress\"](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/to-do-list-in-progress-min-1.png\")
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Tip #2 \u2014 Try time blocking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"24](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/24-hour-min-892x630.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Clockify-calendar-min\"](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Clockify-calendar-min.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTip #3 \u2014 \u201cAutomate\u201d what you can \ud83d\udd01<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/zK-PhAfeQtXqtZN3qzJdNIcuwSV4GbBY-17X5SH5xwMIBR3vRIc2JYhdQeeBtFzI8f5F3NQV8jrUPiXrkbSCmwdng9BZrwvhcgrB7daCutw-xYi_7npUIuhETbR2uW1ISJDiE1aB9i565tqv1w\")
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Tip #4 \u2014 Track time \u23f2\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/A-list-of-time-entries-min-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/landing-1@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nTip #5 \u2014 Avoid distractions \ud83c\udfa7<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Tip #6 \u2013 Listen to your internal clock<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/Jie9hODS3hSCzTw6Kv2N3sKtmctU2Zc-l0BVt-KErC23yI0y9fPVBddozzYYbHuwNj9ktbGTF1geBM_5nx6OioJXMLxg460ghRCo7KnYcgQc0u0_4-N0rSkW-Ep9Cq_3OtOfQFQKEh9UIy1LIw\")
Tip #7 \u2014 Trick your mind with productive rewards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #8 \u2014 Take power naps \ud83d\ude34<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #9 \u2014 Eat enough \ud83c\udf54<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #10 \u2014 Avoid drinking too much coffee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #11 \u2014 Take breaks \ud83e\uddd8<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Tip #12 \u2014 Use commute time well \ud83d\ude8c<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Tip #13 \u2013 Ask for help \ud83d\ude4b<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #14 \u2014 Find inspiration in others\u2728<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2728 Tim Cook, CEO of Apple<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\u2728 Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\u2728 Serena Williams, tennis record holder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Tip #15 \u2014 Learn how to disconnect <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Clockify](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Pomodoro-timer.jpg\")