Help! We have officially entered the age of the "Endless Workday."

      Yesterday, when I finished work late at 9:20 p.m., I had no emails. However, upon waking up this morning, I discovered 78 emails waiting for me. Naturally, half were junk, but some were genuine work requests sent in the middle of the night. This made me nostalgic for simpler times when phones would stop ringing after dinner, as making calls then would be seen as rude, and one would have to wait until a reasonable hour the next day to discuss non-urgent matters. Nowadays, there are no boundaries; communication is continuous, and consequently, work never truly ends.

      According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index Annual Report, the distinction between “office hours” and everything else is fading, resulting in what we are calling an “infinite workday.” Their research indicates that many employees are checking their overflowing inboxes by 6 a.m. to get a head start on their day, only to find themselves revisiting their emails at 10 p.m. for some quiet catch-up time. This pattern continues, with 20 percent of employees checking their emails before noon on weekends and returning to their inboxes on Sunday night.

      “The typical employee sends or receives over 50 messages outside of core business hours.”

      You might be thinking that these individuals simply have too much work on their hands, and while that may be true, the issue is more complex than just overworking. Microsoft’s data demonstrates that our focus time is being disrupted (their term, not mine) by the barrage of emails, messages, and spontaneous meeting invites we encounter daily. In fact, the average time between interruptions is merely two minutes, which is hardly enough time to refill a water bottle.

      To exacerbate the situation, a significant portion of work is now hybrid or remote, crossing different time zones. This makes late-night meetings increasingly common, with the number of meetings after 8 p.m. rising by 16 percent year-over-year. Personally, when I opted for remote work, I didn't foresee having to deal with urgent tasks after putting on my pajamas.

      The sense of overwhelm for both employees and leaders is evident, as data shows that half of them perceive their work as chaotic and fragmented. Yet, it seems like we are all contributing to this problem. The typical employee sends or receives over 50 messages beyond regular business hours. So, who should be held accountable for the infinite workday? Is it our disregard for our colleagues' bandwidth and working hours, or is it a lack of boundaries? It’s difficult to point fingers when we all play a role in this larger issue.

      “We have a responsibility to ourselves to prevent work from encroaching on our personal lives.”

      Part of this dilemma stems from the flexibility that many of us have sought in the workplace over the years. While being able to work at our desired times comes with benefits, we are now also witnessing its disadvantages. I find myself logging in after dinner to finish tasks or catch up on what I missed while taking my one-year-old to the doctor during the day. Although I appreciate this flexibility, it also leaves me feeling drained. Most nights, I shut my laptop just before falling asleep, and I wake up just before opening it again.

      Turning off work, especially in a remote setting, can be challenging; however, we owe it to ourselves to maintain a healthy separation between work and personal life. If you're feeling overwhelmed, it might be time to examine the underlying causes. Is it a result of workplace culture? Or perhaps your difficulty in ignoring distractions? Regardless, there are steps you can take to avoid succumbing to the infinite workday.

      Start by assessing any boundaries you currently have in place, if any, and establish stricter boundaries to enhance your workdays. Use time-blocking strategies to ensure meetings aren’t scheduled during your most productive periods. Experiment with productivity techniques to ensure you can effectively complete tasks when possible. Turn off notifications after work hours and commit to refraining from communication with colleagues after the workday ends. While we are all part of the problem, we can also work together toward a solution.

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Hailey Tagliarino, Assistant Managing Editor

      As the Assistant Managing Editor for The Everygirl, Hailey Tagliarino manages, writes, and edits content across various categories on the site. She collaborates with the team from the pitching stage through to publication to guarantee that the content reaching our readers daily is inspiring, relatable, and timely.