The rise of the non-linear workday: Is it time to ditch the nine to five?

Even with all our new thinking on work, the workday remains pretty linear ― even if you’re working remotely. It starts at one time and ends at another. The traditional nine to five takes place in a straight, unwavering line.

But what if we thought a bit more outside the box? According to a new report from Muse, a meditation tool, there might be major productivity gains to be had by thinking about the power of the non-linear workday, one that doesn’t happen from nine to five, but rather corresponds with when the worker is at their most productive.

“A nonlinear schedule gives employees the autonomy to optimize their varying sleep schedules and attention spans,” reads a report by the Future Forum. “Early birds can get a start on their projects before their families are up and about. And night owls can settle into a few hours of focused work after getting the kids off to bed.”

Proponents of non-linear work see a lot of benefits here. It lets people work when they are most productive, which can differ from person to person. Trying to force work into neat time slots has been identified as a source of stress, and ultimately a productivity killer. “It can create stress that can impact your sleep,” says Muse’s VP of marketing Nadia Kumentas. “All of a sudden, you’ve got a vicious cycle where you’re then not sleeping well, and your mornings are impacted.”

The non-linear workday might be especially beneficial for knowledge workers, whose work often depends on tapping into creative and analytical thinking. But experts say for it to work, it also depends on managers and supervisors feeling like they can trust employees with the extra flexibility, and to think about work less in terms of hours and more in terms of output.

“It becomes not about when or where you work, but about getting the work done,” says London School of Economics prof Laura Giurge. “Managers become responsible for setting the goals and the vision for employees, but they don’t tell them how to get there.”

Content written by Kieran Delamont for Worklife, a partnership between Ahria Consulting and London Inc. To view this content in newsletter form, click here.