National Leave the Office Early Day

While we all love our jobs, nothing is more relaxing and fun than leaving work a little earlier than usual. So, on June 2nd, pack your things and get out of the office earlier than usual as it's National Leave the Office Earlier Day or National Leave the Office Early Day.

National Leave Office Early Day on June 2nd is for those of you who find yourself living to work instead of working to live. The annual holiday was founded by employee productivity expert Laura Stack in 2004 to raise awareness of the benefits of increased productivity in the workplace. When the unofficial holiday falls on a weekend, the day is celebrated on Friday, June 1st, or Monday, June 3rd. The purpose of National Leave the Office Early Day is to demonstrate how making small adjustments in the way we approach our work dramatically improve our work results, allowing workers to be more productive while in the office and spend fewer hours in the office.

National Leave the Office Early Day’s history

If you find yourself working 10, 12, or even 14 hours a day, you're not alone. National Leave the Office Early Day founder Stack, best known as “The Productivity Pro®” and author of the book, “Leave Your Office Early” found that Americans work hundreds of hours more each year than European counterparts. Other studies by employment agencies and consulting firms confirm the American 8-hour workday has become somewhat of an urban myth. Longer working hours do not mean more and better work, but they increase worker fatigue and burnout.

Technologies like computers, the internet, smartphones, and Wi-Fi have added to the overload by allowing employees to extend their workday beyond regular business hours. Instead of heading out of the office on time for an evening of rest, relaxation, and renewal, many of us end up working two, three, or four hours more at home than eight at the office. Many of us just stay at the office for those hours in a futile attempt to find some solace from work when we get home late in the evening.

The stress of juggling family and work schedules, commute times, deadlines, and spending long hours at work not only drains our energy and endangers our health, but It also robs both employees and employers of the joy and rewards of honest work. All work and no play is a proven recipe for disaster but one that can be avoided for the benefit of both employees and employers. Happy workers are productive workers, and higher productivity means greater profits and rewards for everyone. If you want more time outside of work to enjoy with family and friends or pursue the hobbies and activities you love, the National Leave the Office Early Day might just be the start you and your workplace need to restore work-life balance for the benefit of all. Hopefully leaving the office today after getting your work done in less time gives you and your employer a taste of what you're both missing.

Some ways to be more productive at work

• Plan your tomorrow today

Planning your next day deserves a regular appointment on your calendar every day. Schedule a planning meeting with yourself near the end of each day to evaluate today's accomplishments and organize your day for tomorrow.

• Complete one quest before starting the next

It is considered as a myth that the human brain can multitask. You can switch jobs quickly, but we can only focus on one thing at a time. You'll get more done, faster, and more accurate if you do one job at a time.

• Do your least favorite job first

It's human nature to avoid doing things we don't like to do or find difficult. Try tackling the task you're most afraid of doing first when you start your day. Once you've crossed your name off your list, the rest of your day will be easy and you'll feel good at the end of the day.

• Early focus on details

Do tasks early on that require your attention to detail and intense concentration, while your brain is fresh and before distractions can pull you away.

• Have a good night sleep

Possibly the most challenging, but perhaps the most important factor in becoming more productive during work hours is a good night's sleep. Whatever method helps you rest better at night, go for it.

Why we love National Leave the Office Early Day

• It gives us a taste of what we've been missing

Spending time reconnecting with family and friends, catching up on work on the yard or simply taking a walk in the park reminds us of what we're missing when we spend long hours at the office or at work every night.

• It reminds us that life is not only work

We already know that we need a better work-life balance when it's lacking. Somehow, our best intentions of spending more time enjoying the fruits of our many hours of labor keep getting pushed aside; you guessed it - more work. Leaving the busy office demands even one day early reminds us that everything is waiting for us when we return the next day.

• We avoid the afternoon rush hour traffic

There's no denying how scared we are to sit in traffic jams after being stuck in the office all day. While going an hour early might not make much of a difference, going two or three hours early feels like a vacation.

How to celebrate National Leave the Office Early Day

• Show yourself some love

Schedule a date for something funs you enjoy but rarely do on a weekday. You can also free up a Saturday or Sunday with a standout haircut and color, a 90-minute massage, and a manicure and pedicure. Or just go shopping if it makes you happy. Just doesn't work.

• Get fresh air and sunshine

Do a little bit of yard work, wash the car, go for a walk, go to the beach, ride a bike, or just sit outside and read a book. Whatever you love to do that can be done outside, do it. At the end of the day, enjoy the peace and beauty of an early June sunset, and enjoy that easy peace at the end of a perfect day.

• Play with others

If you rarely go out to dinner or drink with friends or family because of long work hours and family commitments, today is the day to indulge in some guilty pleasures before heading home. You will be surprised how much just spending a few hours enjoying good food and a good friend can change your perspective.