Dear Ellen,
I’m working in marketing (yay! I love it) and we’re always operating on pretty tight deadlines.
I’ve always been a total nerd about organization, and I’m obsessed with finding productivity hacks to speed up projects and get things done, faster.
As a result, I often finish my work for the day by 2 or 3pm — when I’m being paid to work till 5pm.
I usually spend the last couple hours of the day goofing around on Facebook, reading blogs, or chatting with friends — but I’m starting to feel kind of guilty. And honestly, if I’m done by 3pm, I’d rather just be allowed to go home!
I know that my boss is happy with my work, and she’s always impressed with what I’m able to complete in a single day … but even so, I’m nervous about just saying, “So … can I go home now?”
What would you recommend that I do in this situation?
Signed,
Too Speedy For My Own Good
Dear Too Speedy:
Ah, what a delightful “problem” to have!
I often wish I could go home early … but since I work from home, I’m already there!
Maybe I should set up a designated zone in my house that represents “off-duty” … complete with tropical beverages and mini umbrellas. Ahhh…
But I digress.
As an employee, you’re being paid to complete certain tasks.
So, once those tasks are complete, shouldn’t you be allowed to call it a day and go home?
Some companies say: No.
But, other companies say: Definitely!
More and more companies are referring to themselves as “results-only work environments,” which means that as long as you do the work that you’re being paid to do (making 50 sales, licking 500 envelopes, sorting 5,000 names in a database, whatever!) it doesn’t matter if it takes you one hour or five days. They just want you to get the job done — in other words, get “results.”
There are many companies that have used the results-only model, with great success — such as Zappos and Best Buy. Some government agencies have adopted it, too. And up until recently, Google allowed its employees to take one day a week to work on personal and creative projects for the company — a policy that produced Gmail and other innovations.
I’m guessing that your company isn’t a results-only work environment, Too Speedy — but more of a traditional one, instead. If that’s the case, asking to go home early probably isn’t a smart career move.
But don’t worry. You can still work this situation to your advantage, and make it a win-win for everyone.
Have a conversation with your boss, and say something like this:
“I’ve gotten into a rhythm where I can usually complete my work for the day by 2 or 3pm. I’d like to talk about what to do with that extra time at the end of each day. I’ve got a few ideas…”
…and then pitch your boss an idea for a project that YOU would love to work on!
That way, you won’t be frittering away your time on Facebook, feeling guilty for pretending to work, or feeling resentful and bored. You’ll have a juicy project to dig into — one that will help you to stay engaged and excited about your work, build new skills and add more value to the company.
Take initiative, Too Speedy. Your boss will thank you. Your co-workers will be impressed. And soon? You’ll have to change your sign-off from Too Speedy For My Own Good to So Valuable That Every Single Company Wants Me … And Wants To Double My Salary.
I’ve got an inkling that your career is about to charge forward at an astonishing speed. Good luck!
Yours,
Ellen
Image: Willie Franklin