How the triple work shift affects productivity
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2025 9:51 am
When was the last time you turned off your computer at 6pm and called it a day? Nowadays, most professionals don't turn off their computers and work at the hours that best suit them.
Especially since the pandemic, with everyone working remotely or in a hybrid way, the traditional 9-to-5 schedule has given way to what has been called triple peak shifts.
What is a triple shift?
A triple peak day is when a professional has three distinct peaks of productivity within a workday: one in the morning, another after lunch and the third in the late afternoon.
Whether it's answering email one more time in the afternoon or writing a report after putting the kids to bed, the third peak is becoming an integral part of modern work.
Understanding the triple workday
During the pandemic, Microsoft researchers observed a surge in Teams usage in the evenings. That trend continued long afterward, with nearly 30% of Microsoft employees seeing a late-night cambodia number data spike in work, not just internal messaging, as measured by the keyboard events below.
Triple Peak Day - Keyboard Activity
Third peak of productivity from 9 to 11 pm (Source: Microsoft )
Before we get into how to take advantage of triple peak days, let's look at why this trend emerged.
Digital tools : Collaboration and communication tools make it easy to respond to messages at any time. Mobile technologies make this easier. So when someone has some free time in the afternoon, they can work.
Global teams : Today, cross-functional teams work across time zones. A Business team in the US regularly works with engineering teams in India. Overlapping schedules occur in the evenings, creating new peaks in productivity.
Diverse needs : Today, team members give equal importance to work and personal life. The two main ones choose to pick up the children from school, watch a football match or simply watch a movie with their partner. The third productivity peak allows them to take a break during productivity slumps without wasting time.
As the world evolves toward a new model of work, let’s look at the three peaks of productivity.
Deciphering triple peak days
The traditional 9-to-5 workday used to have two peaks of productivity: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Depending on the needs of the company and the preferences of employees, they planned their day to get the work done.
Now that there is a third peak, let's look at how the three typically combine to form a workday.
Peak of attention
This is the first productivity spike that occurs early in the day, when you're engaged in deep, focused work, taking advantage of high energy levels and a lower workload that are productivity killers . Especially if you're an early riser, you'll love the quiet and peace that comes first thing in the morning.
Writers write or edit in the mornings. Artists create art. Developers solve problems or write code. Project managers use this time to gather data and identify opportunities for improvement.
Peak of collaboration
This is the second productivity peak, which usually occurs around midday. Right after lunch, you may have lost the focus you had in the morning, but you have the energy to finish the work. Therefore, you will do the collaborative tasks that you need to.
Some of the ideal tasks for your productivity peak are:
The final peak occurs in the late afternoon. During this period, you may be finishing up your work, planning the next day, or engaging in creative tasks that require quiet reflection.
For example, a project manager can review the day's progress and adjust priorities for the next day. A team leader can review emails and messages received in the afternoon.
This peak serves to close the day and prepare for the correct attempt the next day.
How triple peak days affect work-life balance
Fundamentally, the triple-peak concept changes the way work has been done for decades. It calls into question the 9-to-5 schedule, which naturally raises concerns about overwork. Especially after the pandemic, people tended to overwork for various reasons. This has a profound influence on the work-life balance.
Time management : The typical eight-hour workday now has three peaks, forcing people to adjust their schedules accordingly. It's important for work-life balance that the third peak doesn't add two more hours of work to the day. This also means that project managers have to accommodate each team member's preferences when scheduling work.
Especially since the pandemic, with everyone working remotely or in a hybrid way, the traditional 9-to-5 schedule has given way to what has been called triple peak shifts.
What is a triple shift?
A triple peak day is when a professional has three distinct peaks of productivity within a workday: one in the morning, another after lunch and the third in the late afternoon.
Whether it's answering email one more time in the afternoon or writing a report after putting the kids to bed, the third peak is becoming an integral part of modern work.
Understanding the triple workday
During the pandemic, Microsoft researchers observed a surge in Teams usage in the evenings. That trend continued long afterward, with nearly 30% of Microsoft employees seeing a late-night cambodia number data spike in work, not just internal messaging, as measured by the keyboard events below.
Triple Peak Day - Keyboard Activity
Third peak of productivity from 9 to 11 pm (Source: Microsoft )
Before we get into how to take advantage of triple peak days, let's look at why this trend emerged.
Digital tools : Collaboration and communication tools make it easy to respond to messages at any time. Mobile technologies make this easier. So when someone has some free time in the afternoon, they can work.
Global teams : Today, cross-functional teams work across time zones. A Business team in the US regularly works with engineering teams in India. Overlapping schedules occur in the evenings, creating new peaks in productivity.
Diverse needs : Today, team members give equal importance to work and personal life. The two main ones choose to pick up the children from school, watch a football match or simply watch a movie with their partner. The third productivity peak allows them to take a break during productivity slumps without wasting time.
As the world evolves toward a new model of work, let’s look at the three peaks of productivity.
Deciphering triple peak days
The traditional 9-to-5 workday used to have two peaks of productivity: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Depending on the needs of the company and the preferences of employees, they planned their day to get the work done.
Now that there is a third peak, let's look at how the three typically combine to form a workday.
Peak of attention
This is the first productivity spike that occurs early in the day, when you're engaged in deep, focused work, taking advantage of high energy levels and a lower workload that are productivity killers . Especially if you're an early riser, you'll love the quiet and peace that comes first thing in the morning.
Writers write or edit in the mornings. Artists create art. Developers solve problems or write code. Project managers use this time to gather data and identify opportunities for improvement.
Peak of collaboration
This is the second productivity peak, which usually occurs around midday. Right after lunch, you may have lost the focus you had in the morning, but you have the energy to finish the work. Therefore, you will do the collaborative tasks that you need to.
Some of the ideal tasks for your productivity peak are:
The final peak occurs in the late afternoon. During this period, you may be finishing up your work, planning the next day, or engaging in creative tasks that require quiet reflection.
For example, a project manager can review the day's progress and adjust priorities for the next day. A team leader can review emails and messages received in the afternoon.
This peak serves to close the day and prepare for the correct attempt the next day.
How triple peak days affect work-life balance
Fundamentally, the triple-peak concept changes the way work has been done for decades. It calls into question the 9-to-5 schedule, which naturally raises concerns about overwork. Especially after the pandemic, people tended to overwork for various reasons. This has a profound influence on the work-life balance.
Time management : The typical eight-hour workday now has three peaks, forcing people to adjust their schedules accordingly. It's important for work-life balance that the third peak doesn't add two more hours of work to the day. This also means that project managers have to accommodate each team member's preferences when scheduling work.