Can hitting snooze and taking a long lunch be the real keys to success?

This article was originally published May 23, 2017.

"I'd rather hustle 24/7 than slave 9 to 5."

"They call us dreamers, but we're the ones who don't sleep."

"The stars that have most glory have no rest."

We've all seen the high-octane #MotivationMonday memes that glorify putting in long hours. Indeed, it's pretty much a given these days that the key to success is working longer and harder than everybody else. So much so, in fact, that it's not uncommon to hear business leaders like Yahoo president Marissa Mayer bragging that she got where she is by working 130 hours a week, and being "strategic" about showers, sleep and bathroom breaks.

But what if working like this was actually counter-productive? What if more work (and the sacrifice to our health, well-being and personal lives) didn't actually serve our career, our society – or even our company's bottom line? A growing body of research suggests that's indeed the case. Perhaps when it comes to work, less is actually more. Here are five reasons why you might want to "lean out."

You'll be more productive

We've all felt it. Four-thirty rolls around, and even the most Type-A of office warriors starts feeling the brain drain. We struggle to complete simple tasks, smartphones get checked... and checked again, Instagram becomes irresistible. We try to push past our fatigue, driven by peer pressure, a concern for optics and armed with generous doses of caffeine and sugar. But it turns out this daily struggle is a waste of time. Numerous studies support the common-sense notion that the longer a worker toils, the less energy they have and the less productive they are. Researchers at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, for instance, have found that productivity is higher when people work fewer hours. The lesson? Make your exit early; you'll get little done if you stay.  

It makes economic sense

One of the surprising reasons to stop putting in extra hours is that our efforts are often not benefiting employer's bottom lines. Late nights and early morning power meetings inevitably mean less sleep for workers. One Harvard study estimated that lost productivity from sleep-deprivation cost (America) $63.2 billion a year, and another found that sleeping less than six hours a night was the main risk factor for developing burnout. Burnout can cost companies big bucks on medical leaves, employee retention efforts and/or retraining. And then, of course, there's the price of correcting mistakes made in a state of exhaustion. Plus, sleep is awesome. And dragging yourself around all day without it really, really sucks.

You'll help tackle major issues like climate change and gender inequality

So, working sane hours will be better for your performance, and better for the company's bottom line – but did you know that it could also help address some of the big issues of our time? Rutger Bregman, author of Utopia for Realists: The Case for Universal Basic Income, Open Borders, and a 15-Hour Workweek has noted that a global shift to shorter workweeks could cut this century's C02 emissions by half. He's also pointed out that countries with shorter workweeks regularly top gender equality rankings. Ditch your cubicle and do your part to halt climate change and fight for equality. Has a nice ring to it, no?

You'll make more money

Here's another mind-boggling truth about the culture of long hours: it doesn't always pay off. So many strivers today live by the motto "first to arrive, last to leave." Indeed, this advice is regularly doled out to hungry up-and-comers by the likes of billionaire businessman and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. But contrary to what one might think, surveys have actually shown that people who overwork are less likely to have received a bonus in the last three years. Another solid incentive to become a clock-watcher.

You'll drink less

Everyone jokes that they need a drink at the end of a long day, but it seems there's quite a bit of truth to this. Overwork leads to stress, which requires an outlet, and not always a healthy one.

Numerous studies suggest that overwork – and the stress it causes – can be linked to a whole host of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, depression and heavy drinking, which of course places a significant burden on individuals, families and the healthcare system. Leave work in time for dinner, and drinks might not seem so appealing (slash desperately necessary).