Busy, but not burdened

Working more productively is even the subject of a new magazine called Worthwhile. It is aimed at readers who want "a deeper, more meaningful connection to their work."

The July issue advocates working less to achieve more. It criticizes the corporate model that measures work in hours.

"If you want to reduce your hours, you're more likely to be branded a slacker than to be rewarded for discipline," writes Margaret Heffernan in the magazine. "Employees who work eight-hour days continue to outpace their overworked, exhausted, and unfulfilled colleagues."

It's an approach Stack applauds. Last month she organized the first Leave the Office Earlier Day. About 10,000 people across the country pledged to leave work on time that day. Next year Stack hopes to increase that number to 25,000.In a survey by Accountemps, one-third of executives said that 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the least productive time of day for employees.

"It's not how many hours you were in your seat," Stack says. "Just because you're there, and just because your mouth is moving and your fingers are moving or you're in your chair, it doesn't mean you've produced."

Describing productivity as a friend, she says, "It makes a space in your life for all the other things you want to do other than work."

As summer sunshine streams through office windows, beckoning workers to turn off their computers and call it a day, Ms. Yerkes offers this advice: "Never forget, you are the master of your time. Time is not your master."

Time-management experts offer these suggestions for improving productivity:

• Get to work early, before phones start ringing and distractions begin.

• Keep your desk clear of papers other than those related to your current projects.

• Make lists, but focus on the five most important items.

• Don't postpone decisions. Deal with papers promptly.

• Avoid "wallpapering" your computer monitor with Post-it notes.

• Leave at the end of the day with all important calls and e-mail answered.

0.94 Hours that human resource managers assume employees will waste each workday.

1.60 Hours that those managers suspect employees actually waste.

2.09 Average number of hours workers admit to wasting.

759,000,000,000 Number of dollars lost each year as a result of workers goofing off.

44.7 Percentage of employees who say using the Internet for personal use is their the top time-wasting activity.

3.9 Percentage of workers who list spacing out as their top time-wasting activity. It's the fourth most popular time waster, after Internet surfing, socializing with co-workers, and conducting personal business.

33.2 Percentage of workers who said they didn't have enough work to do, making it the top excuse for wasting time. Other popular excuses: being underpaid for amount of work they do, and being distracted by coworkers.

3.2 Average number of hours employees in Missouri admit to wasting per day, making it the top time-wasting state.

2.5 Average number of hours wasted each day by insurance employees - the top industry for wasting time.

Source: Web survey by America Online and Salary.com

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