Do we really work 40 hours a week?

I feel like we do technically work 40 hours as we are filled up with meetings however how many of those hours are actually useful. I say 20 hrs (cold calling, doing work that is tasking) are really the time we actually get things done cause the other time we are mindlessly in meetings or talking to coworkers
🧠 Advice
🕧 age-related
☁️ Software Tech
18
RandyLahey
Politicker
8
Account Manager
Huge deals, End of Quarter, or others, I'll exceed 40 hours.

But no, I regularly do not.

Yet, I exceed in output.

What gives?
punishedlad
Tycoon
7
🧙‍♂️
If you're doing 40 hours of "useful" (as you put it) work every week, you're gonna get burnt out unless you're a freak who gets off on work.
SaaSyBee
Politicker
1
Founder
Oh no, I think I'm one of those freaks
punishedlad
Tycoon
0
🧙‍♂️
FREAK!
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
6
☕️
Are you still making up fake meetings to get time to go to the doctor? That's technically work then.

Your observation is not novel. It's the paradox of office-based work. We spend more time preparing to get work done than getting work done. That's why I work on average 20 hours per week and spend the other 20 to better myself and enjoy the nice weather. My boss does it. Our CEO does it, too. It's not longer a dirty secret.
Jaytea
Catalyst
0
N/A
Bro your so lazy, I just time in and out my schedule correctly. Your lazy doesn’t even work a full 40 tf. Maybe u should reconsidered if sales is for you 🤓.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
0
☕️
*you’re.

Grow up, child. No one works 40 hours a week. The people who say they work more are hiding from their families.
Pachacuti
Politicker
4
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
That's a GREAT question. In all honesty, I'd say no - at least not a consistent 40/week.

There are some weeks I put in 20-30 but there are others where its 60+. It all depends on what's going on. My work life is basically "run really fast, then wait".

When I'm at home, I usually start work between 8:30-9. I'll admit to dinking around the internet for about an hour between 9-12pm - some work oriented, mostly not though. I usually don't take a lunch, or at least not an hour. But I will go for a walk often. Then I'm at it till about 4pm when kids start coming home. Dinner and a work out later, I'll sometimes put in a bit of work before going to bed, again depending on what's going on.

And of course if you count travel time, the weeks I'm on the road, it can easily go over 40hrs some weeks (which I count as "working" even if I'm not actually doing work).
oldcloser
Arsonist
3
💀
No
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
2
Sales Rep
Its really all over the place, multiple demo day and working long hours since I can support west coast can lead to 40+ days but early q1 definitely 20 hour days when its slow
Maximas
Tycoon
2
Senior Sales Executive
Sadly that's the case, some others may work even longer.
But let's just not forget the other vacations and holidays beside the weekly offs.
And I believe that mgmt would be flexible enough when it comes to Time-Off requests as long as the quota is being hit regularly!
coletrain
Politicker
2
Account Executive
As others mention: you should not be doing 40 hours of actual work per week as that will burn you out quickly. Early on in Covid I was putting in 60 because what else is there to do, didn't end well but learned a lot from that experience.

Now, it's a much healthier 25-30 between meetings, typical prospecting, creating drafts. There are absolutely weeks with travel where it becomes more however the majority are that.

If you are judged on how much work you do VS your work results, then your company's metrics are off.
Diablo
Politicker
1
Sr. AE
It’s plus and minus both. Mostly no but during the month and quarter end, I stretch a bit more. Mental peace is a must.
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
Yeah it’s probably 3-4 hours of actual work everyday.
falcon108
Member
1
Business Development Manager
Honestly no! But at times we work more than 40 hours a week. It totally depends upon the project or accounts.
Gasty
Notable Contributor
1
War Room Community Manager
let's see what SalesGPT has to say about this
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
I work more. I'm tired.
nolaydowns
Good Citizen
1
SAE
It really depends on what your lifestyle goals are. In a job position where you’re on a healthy commission structure, you’re incentivized to work. So your work should be proportional to the earning and lifestyle you want for yourself.
Filth
Politicker
1
Live Filthy or Die Clean
I work in sales to not work full hours if I can help it.
FranchiseSalesQB
Politicker
0
Franchise Sales QB
YO!! The leadership here thinks we should work 25/8 and I’m not being cliche.
56
Members only

What are your work hours?

Question
60
9

How many hours are you really working each week?

Discussion
14
22
Members only

How Many Hours a Week do you actually work?

Question
25
how many hours do you put in/week on average?
32% 20-30
35% 30-40
29% 40+
4% other (comment)
275 people voted