What would a German do? (aka how to work less and get more done)
The counter-intuitive approach to better - & healthier - productivity
I have a bunch of virtual t-shirts. Have you ever seen the t-shirt saying "What would Jesus do?" Well, I have a new virtual t-shirt saying "What would a German do?!"
Workaholism lurks at the water cooler!
As a recovering workaholic I am fully aware of the perils of workaholism - from mental and physical exhaustion and ill-health, to strained relationships and decreased productivity.
Workaholism in Microsoft and Apple
Even Melinda Gates, former wife of Bill, has spoken out against workaholism. In the early Microsoft and Apple days, everyone worked crazy hours and achieved incredible results. But a year later they were all gone. And, of course and tragically, Steve Jobs died young.
However it's one thing for me to be conscious of these workaholic perils, and quite another to change the workaholic habits I've spent decades cultivating.
But such an opportunity to change my bad habits arose 13 days ago.
The work is infinite
Monday 23rd October is Labor day in New Zealand - a public holiday. Usually public holidays mean nothing to me. I view them as opportunities to catch up on outstanding work from the previous decade.
So while I'm getting much better at treating weekends like weekends, I was planning on working on Labor Monday. To 'get ahead of the work.' Ha!
But I changed my mind after listening to American Basecamp co-founder and CEO Jason Fried being interviewed on the Hurry Slowly podcast. (You can listen here - well worth it if you are curious about the topic of workaholism.)
Worklife balance: Americans Vs. Germans
Fried, as well as being the co-author of 'ReWork', was both scathing of the American low-productivity workaholic culture and a fan of the high-productivity German balanced-work-life ethic.
Fried discourages workaholic tendencies in his staff - assuming anyone working long hours is likely working inefficiently and unsustainably.
'Sicker' but more productive
In contrast the Germans, with one of the most productive European economies, clock off at 5pm and have a life. They have generous annual, parental, and sick leave. To my surprise, they actually take more sick leave than the British, yet still have a more productive economy.
Go figure. I suspect that by actually taking sick leave, Germans likely recover quicker and don't infect their colleagues with their bugs.
So I asked my t-shirt the question. What would a German do on a public holiday - would they work?
Nein!
12 productive hours in bed
So I didn't. I spent the day in bed reading a great novel. Finished it, and emerged for a double yoga class in the evening.
That night I slept like I'd taken some very good drugs (I imagine - but in a sense I had), and woke feeling like a million bucks.
So, if you want to be more productive, I suggest putting on a German t-shirt when you need to answer the question "Shall I keep working - or shall I have some rest and fun?"
[NOTE: For many of us more-hardened workaholics, the act of NOT working induces stress and guilt - which is neither restful nor fun. The method for alchemizing this stress into peace and productivity is the topic of another article]
Want to learn more about overcoming workaholism?
If interested, you can read more about workaholism here: and while Shimazo et al.'s (2010) self-report measure of 'work performance' is a weak point of their study, they do a good job of explaining the compulsion some people feel to work, and the article has good references for further reading. Many of the articles referenced can be located on Google Scholar.
Like to read more?
My ugly-crying & the simple, proven tactic to boost your immunity [This simple psychology tactic was also key to surviving my PhD]
The biggest myth of self-control (+ marshmallows!) Hint: you have PLENTY of self control - you just need to learn how to access it!
A best-selling author (not me, yet) spills the beans on her never-fail writing schedule [Perfect for those struggling with writers-procrastination!]
Enough about me - how about you?
What works for you (pun not intended) in terms of productivity? What have you struggled with? I’d love to hear about your experiences - hit the ‘Leave a comment’ button to do just that …
