The typical working hours in IT companies are from 10 am to 6 pm, though it could extend beyond this time depending on the nature of the project. Usually, we expect everyone to put in about 8 hours a day. There are two broad categories to classify these eight hours: Collaboration time and Core working time.
Collaboration time is when interactions with others are needed and includes all the client meetings, standups, team huddles, and discussions. Ideally, these are the hours that enable individuals to complete their work. Individuals in the team have limited choices on when these meetings have to happen as it could involve multiple stakeholders.
Core working time is when the actual work gets done and is the productive hours of the individual. The more focused the individual is, the more effective they are.
These two times overlap with regular office working hours and are not conducive to peak productivity. Some teams strive to have dedicated Core working hours when there are no meetings. The strategy only works to a limited extent because people are different and do not feel productive during those shared times. For example, most people hardly be at their peak performance after lunch.
Thanks to Covid, most of us are working remotely these days, which opens up exploring other ways to improve productivity.
Firstly, to manage the collaboration time, combine all the meetings and interactions within a specific time window, say 3 hours, depending on the team's needs. Outside of this timeframe, there will be no other meetings or interactions. We expect all members of the team to be available during this time. The closer this time, the better. For example, all meetings and catch-up should occur only in the evenings, and no meetings in the mornings. No team member should expect you to be available or reachable outside this collaboration time.
Secondly, let the individual determine their core working hours. Individuals can choose their working time when they feel productive and spend the remaining 5 hours. If someone is a morning person, they may start their day at 3 am and continue till 8 am. If someone is a night owl, they may work from 9 pm to 2 am the following day. In essence, there is no fixed schedule for a person's work hours, so they can work whenever they find most productive.
Some more tips to make the core working time more productive:
- Settle the mind - Free the mind from daily distractions. You may use apps like Calm (Free YouTube videos are available) or Headspace to settle the mind before the session begins.
- Set the focus - Before you start working on any item, list down what you need to do, prioritize them, and document them. This checklist or task list is what you intend to complete for the day or the session. Only the items in the list will get attention and will get done. Ideally, you should complete each item in the checklist in one sitting.
- Set the rhythm - Use techniques such as Pomodoro to set the discipline. The cadence ensures efficient use of time.
- Keep distractions away during work - This is the most crucial step. Checking emails, chats, phones, or social media are some examples of distractions. Essentially, anything that takes your mind away from your work is a distraction, and avoid it at all costs. When you can achieve this, then your work itself becomes a meditation.
- Improve your quality of life - Given the freedom to choose your time, you may have ample time to spend with your family or do activities that improve your quality of life. If you are happy and fulfilled, you'll be more productive.
Interestingly, the above techniques helped in one of the projects that I was leading. After 50 percent of the time elapsed, the team completed only 20 percent of the work. The traditional solution is to log long hours and work on weekends to meet the deadline. However, the team focused on the changes mentioned above and a few other productivity improvement measures. It significantly improved productivity and is very well on the way to beating the deadline without working any additional hours. Team members enjoy having extra time during the day, and the project is happy with meeting the deadline, so it's a win-win solution.
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