The eight hours at work

Like most, I am also required to work for an average of eight hours daily. The regulations are not so strict and schedule is more relaxed. Also anyway, the workload requires one to be at work for a longer time more than often. However, I still like to come at around certain time and leave after around finishing eight hours. Of course, there are days when I leave quite early or stay hours later, but in general, I have this ‘schedule’. I generally prefer to come early, around 7-7.30, and leave sometime around 3-4 in the afternoon. I like to have most of my afternoon free and for myself to walk around, do necessary errands, relax, read a book, cook, work on my hobbies and so on..

But sometimes, like yesterday, I get hugely late and then the day seems so long. Yesterday, I was very lazy in the morning and came to work only at around 9. And because now I am in the process of writing a manuscript and finding it very boring to do so; I said to myself ‘I am going to stay till 5 at least and work’. I have less concentration in it as I find analyzing all my result and writing a manuscript, preparing pictures, graphs, tables etc annoying; therefore, if I do not force myself I would not be able to meet the deadline. Thus, there was this self-imposed rule of not leaving before 5 at least.

I started with work. Several printed sheets with graphs, notes, results were all around on my desk. However, the arrangement was much more than the work that was actually happening. I was so out of concentration, restless and hugely bored. To refresh myself I read the newspapers online. Then started again. The situation was still the same.

The clock showed it to be 11. On other days, I feel satisfied in working and do not notice how almost half of the day is gone. Yesterday each minute seemed like hours. But then it was not just yesterday. Most of the time when I am late, I have this feeling.

Somehow, when I notice that half of the day is gone, and realize that I was already working for quite some time, it gives a sense of satisfaction. I feel that I was being useful. I finished around half of the work I had planned to do that day. And then soon after I finish the rest I would be able to leave. Having most of the afternoon for myself, I then look forward to it. Concentrating back into work is easy. Soon I finish my work and realize that time has passed by without me noticing it. I enjoy the work then, feel satisfied about it, it gives some sense of positivity and happiness. I have earned myself the free afternoon, this is what I feel. There is no streak of guilt associated with it. On these days, 8 hours do not seem like 8 hours.

And, when I am late, everything change. At 11, I am still left with almost the whole of that day’s work. Realizing that almost half day gone without me doing much work because of being lazy in the morning without reason, I feel bad. Moreover, this also reminds me that to finish the work I need to stay longer and thus reducing my afternoon time. It annoys me. More so, as I know it was my fault in the very beginning. I look at the clock every five minutes and think it is moving so very slowly. Then I start getting bored, working slower and slower. This makes me more annoyed. And the whole thing just increases in a cycle, ultimately resulting in little productivity. Finally, unless I really have the need to finish something or too much workload, I just leave. However, I have this little guilt inside me saying I was lazy, and did not work with full concentration and productivity, and worse maybe if I had left it unfinished.

And the next day, when I am doing the same unfinished work and not getting bored or annoyed, I realize it is not about the work or the eight hours. If I start early and as planned, all goes good. The clock ticks on its own pace and in the end, I am leaving work satisfied and happy. If I am late, the clock stops moving. Minutes are like hours then, and hours are like forever. The eight hours become ‘nothing’ or ‘forever’ depending on when and how I start.

Bottom line, I should not be lazy in the morning to finish work smiling and satisfied.