The Reason We Extend Our Work Days Into Work Nights

Yesterday morning I tried to work out but was rushed. The trainer in the already condensed 15-minute HIIT intense at-home youtube video told me that I’ll be done soon so just push myself and I’ll feel it for the rest of the day. But I was trying to squeeze this workout in so admittedly, I skipped through some parts and rushed.

Maybe it was an 11 minute workout, and not so intense.

But for the rest of the day, I continued to squeeze in a little more exercise– a few pushups while I wait for my food in the microwave, a few sitting-up crunches while I wait for a meeting to start. All day I’m trying to make up for a half-assed workout in the first place.

It felt very familiar.
I do this with my work (and maybe you do, too).

If I’m multitasking all day, doing shallow work and just doing the bare minimum to rush through my work, I don’t always feel like I got “real” work done. So I extend my work day. A few extra hours in the evening and up until bedtime and I can feel a bit more accomplished (if not exhausted and stressed). Neither extending a half-assed workout nor extending half-assed work day lead to much accomplishment.

The trick is to do it right the first time. To push ourselves in the moment we’ve blocked for that task to focus, monotask, and work through the pain and challenge of it. Because when you’ve gotten your ass kicked and you’re sweaty and tired (or cross off that big to-do item early in the day), there’s no way you feel like you have to squeeze in more.

You did it.

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Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts on Medium and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.