Why I Stopped Working 10-Hour Days And What Happened When I Focused on Systems
Not too long ago, my daily grind looked like a badge of honor: 10-hour workdays, back-to-back Zoom calls, constant task switching, and the feeling that if I slowed down even for a second, the whole business might collapse.
Sound familiar?
What finally snapped me out of the hustle loop wasn’t burnout (though I was teetering on the edge). It was the realization that more hours didn’t equal more results. Increasing hours really equaled diminishing returns. The real game changer for me was implementing systems.
When I shifted from brute-force effort to building scalable systems, my productivity doubled…while working fewer hours.
Here’s exactly how that transformation unfolded, and why this mindset shift could be your most powerful business move yet.
The Problem With 10-Hour Workdays
1. Long Hours ≠ High Productivity
The average knowledge worker is productive for just 2 hours and 53 minutes per day, regardless of how long they’re technically “working.” Those extra hours are often spent multitasking, context switching, or fixing mistakes that come from fatigue.
2. Busyness Becomes a False Metric of Success
I was mistaking movement for momentum. I’d end a 10-hour day exhausted but still not clear on what actually got done. The thing is that working longer was a band-aid for lack of clear systems.
What Happens When You Build Systems Instead
Systems are processes designed to scale your efforts, create consistency, and reduce decision fatigue. Once I made systems the foundation of my business, everything shifted.
Here’s what happened:
1. I Gained 10+ Hours Back Every Week
By implementing tools like ClickUp, Zapier, and Loom, I automated repetitive tasks, delegated clearly, and recorded SOPs (standard operating procedures) once, instead of explaining them 100 times.
Example system:
Client onboarding used to take me 2 hours per client. Now, it’s a 15-minute task automated with CRMs and email triggers.
2. Team Productivity Increased (Without Micromanagement)
By building a clear system for content production (shoutout to our Notion dashboard), I empowered my team to manage their workload without needing constant approvals. Productivity improved, and I stopped being the bottleneck.
According to McKinsey, companies that use well-defined systems for operations see up to 30% productivity gains across teams.
3. Clients Got Better Results, Faster
With systems in place, deliverables were more consistent, timelines got tighter, and client satisfaction went through the roof. We even saw a 25% increase in repeat business within 6 months, without adding more hours to the workweek.
A Snapshot: Life Before vs. After Systems
Here’s a quick comparison of what changed when I moved from 10-hour days to a systems-first approach:
| Aspect | Before Systems (10-hr days) | After Systems (6-hr days) |
|---|---|---|
| Work hours per day | 10 | 6 |
| Productivity level | Scattered | Focused and streamlined |
| Team dependency | High (micromanagement) | Low (self-sufficient workflows) |
| Client onboarding time | 2 hours | 15 minutes (automated) |
| Revenue | Flat | Increased 20% in 3 months |
| Burnout level | High | Nearly nonexistent |
How to Start Systematizing Your Business
You don’t need to build a million-dollar SOP library to start seeing results. Begin with these three simple steps:
1. Identify What You Do Repeatedly
Start tracking repeatable tasks: onboarding, social media posts, invoicing, publishing blog content. These are your low-hanging systemization opportunities.
2. Record It Once
Use Loom to record your process or write a step-by-step guide in Notion or Google Docs. You now have a repeatable system.
3. Automate or Delegate
Use Zapier or Make.com to automate workflows. Use ClickUp or Trello to delegate tasks with built-in checklists.
Final Thoughts: Systems > Hustle
Working 10-hour days made me feel important. But building systems made me impactful.
If you’re tired of being busy, it’s time to be strategic.
You don’t need to hustle harder. You need to build smarter. ‘
Once you do, you’ll realize the real flex isn’t overworking... it’s building a business that doesn’t require you 24/7.
