Not sure if a 9-5 work life is right for you? Here are some reasons to help you rest easy when the next 9-5 opportunity arises.
Nowadays, many companies are offering flexible hours, so the idea of a 9-5 job can be daunting to many. Especially when you are forced to wake up early every morning just to head to a dull office where you know you’ll be spending most of your day. Think about it, 9am on-the-dot, every morning, five days a week, and for almost every week of the year. Just the thought alone can seem overwhelming.
However just because many people stress on the pains of working 9-5 doesn’t mean that’s all there is to it, after all there are still many people working regular business hours. A lot of times, we overlook the advantages of working regular hours and the benefits a healthy structure can be to us.
So, for those who still dread the 9 to 5 work day, it’s time for a change in perspective! Listed below are some advantages of working regular office hours (for you and your work place!):
1. Sets up an Environment for Healthy Work-Life Balance
The misconception these days is that work eats up one’s personal life and thus there has been a greater stress on achieving work-life balance.
By working a job with regular office hours, it helps you regulate the amount of time you actually spend at work. Though understandably boundaries are not so black and white, especially with technology allowing us 24/7 access to our emails, the 9-5 job does help to create a separation.
According to an article by Forbes, in order to achieve a good work-life balance it is important to have time for self-care and that means the chance to “unplug” from our working environment.
The 9-5 job not only gives us a healthy routine by which you can turn off after 5pm, but also a designated “me” time during the weekends. A moment for yourself when you can relax and unwind after a tough time at work, a reward for working non-stop throughout the week.
2. Challenges You to be More Creative With Your Time
Having your work hours from 9-5 means that you have to be creative with how you use your time. It challenges you to better prioritise your tasks and trains you to focus on what is truly important.
By default, you’re more efficient in comparison to when working a job that has no concrete hours as it directs your attention appropriately. It has been shown that 9-5 jobs are significantly more efficient than working from home, or without a routine. Such structure also helps you weed out the more repetitive tasks, challenging you to find more productive ways to tackle them and encouraging a “work smart” over a “work hard” mentality.
3. Access to a Work Community
Understandably, not everyone in your company is going to end up on your friend list. Working in an office surrounded by so many different characters can even be intimidating. On the upside however, there is always lots to learn in the workplace. Not only from completing the day-to-day tasks, but more importantly, learning the ways of the trade from other striving professionals.
Moreover, it provides a great platform for networking, one of the most significant aspects of climbing the corporate ladder. What’s more is that you can take this as an opportunity to brush up on your social skills to build relationships for later on in life.
4. Promotes Personal Growth and Improvement
According to recent studies, healthy competition in the workplace helps promote personal growth. Not only is there greater productivity through collaborative work but it has been proven that working in a community also creates higher quality results.
In addition, positive competition has the effect of motivating individuals, resulting in greater levels of innovation and creativity. While many are mindful of the possible conflicts that may arise, it is important to note that these are actually valuable opportunities for personal improvement.
Whilst there are many pros to the 9-5 job, it is most definitely not for everyone. If you are still not convinced by the wonders of the 9-5, contact Links International, and we can help! Do you need help in furthering your career? Is the 9-5 job right for you? Talk to one of our recruitment specialists in Hong Kong to find out what kind of job is suitable for you – please do not hesitate to contact us!