, Columnist
Big Law Associates Need a Nap
A culture of working long hours hurts the lawyers and the profession.
Sweet dreams.
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Why do we tell high schoolers to get a good night’s sleep before taking their SATs? Because we know instinctively what cognitive scientists tell us repeatedly: The brain can’t function at a high level without rest. Some researchers think the upper bound may be around six hours.
Yet we’re working harder than ever. In a recent blog post for the Harvard Business Review, INSEAD’s Gianpiero Petriglieri reminds us of the punishing harm we do to our bodies. He cites data suggesting that “working long hours damages our health, productivity, and families.”