Humans have a tacit bias for tracking performance based on hours. But logging hours is an outmoded concept in a world filled with endless busywork.


In this episode, I chat with Tami Forman, the CEO of Path Forward, a nonprofit organization that helps women (and men) transition back into the workforce after they’ve taken a long break to raise a child.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Tami and I talk about the gender biases built into tracking performance based on hours, how to create an office culture that supports work/life balance, and why we should critique — rather than celebrate — people who indulge in overwork.

Key takeaways from our conversation:

  • Why your work performance drops off a cliff after 55 hours
  • How implementing “core hours” can create more work/life flexibility and limit time spent in meetings
  • Why measuring performance based on hours disadvantages women
  • How parenting makes you better at prioritizing
  • Why we should look at people who “overwork” with a critical eye

Go Deeper

RESET, a cosmic tune-up for your workday. RESET is a new course from Hurry Slowly host Jocelyn K. Glei that shows you how to take a “heart-centered” approach to productivity that’s intentional, energizing, and inspiring. Watch the 30-second trailer at reset-course.com.

Get Jocelyn’s brainwaves in your inbox. If you like Hurry Slowly, you’ll love this twice-monthly email highlighting new ideas about how to be more creative, productive, and resilient. Sign up at hurryslowly.co/newsletter.

Favorite Quotes

“I would love to see our entire culture start to look at people who overwork as a little bit problematic. Like: What’s wrong with you if you can’t get your work done in a reasonable amount of time. Are you not efficient? Are you not actually competent? How can we help you in your performance? Instead of making it a badge of honor.”

“We’re very all or nothing, we Americans. There’s this sort of macho ideology around putting in long hours, and we’ve somehow have kind of deified busy-ness in a way that I think is really, really detrimental to our physical and mental health.”

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Resources

A shortlist of the ideas and articles mentioned in our conversation:


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