Microshifting Can Help You Achieve A Better Work-life Balance—here’s How It Works

Work when you’re sharpest; live when you’re not.

Key Takeaways

• Microshifting means breaking your workday into shorter bursts around your natural energy levels—53% of workers say they already do this, regularly or occasionally.
• It’s especially useful for parents, caregivers, people managing chronic health conditions, and remote workers collaborating across time zones—letting you work during peak focus and handle personal tasks in between.
• The main risks are boundary creep (work bleeding into all hours) and friction with coworkers on different schedules—experts recommend clear start and end rituals and proactively communicating your availability to your team.

Working in one continuous block might be the norm for many workplaces. However, it doesn’t mean employees are steadily performing at their best while working a 9-to-5 shift. So, why not match your work hours to when you feel most focused and productive?

That’s the idea with microshifting. “It’s a flexible scheduling approach where you tackle your job duties in shorter productive bursts,” says Loren Margolis, executive coach and author of Executive Coaching: Perspectives and Practices Across the Field. What you get in return is greater control over your time. 

Rather than being bound by a rigid schedule, you can log on early to clear your inbox or take an afternoon break to run errands. Ahead, productivity experts discuss the benefits of microshifting and how to incorporate this practice into your daily life.

The Appeal of Microshifting

As your morning coffee is brewing, you open your laptop to answer a few emails. Later, you step away from your desk to go to the gym. Instead of that continuous eight- or nine-hour block, you break the day into shorter bursts of activity, Margolis says. The workday is interspersed with personal time, whether it’s for a hobby, childcare, elder care, workouts, chores, or other commitments.

According to a Monster survey, 53% of workers say that they currently microshift, either regularly or occasionally. Although this practice picked up momentum during the pandemic, it started even earlier with the Pomodoro technique, Margolis says. The Pomodoro technique involves dividing your day into 30-minute blocks during which you work nonstop for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break. 

Microshifting promotes work-life balance by allowing you to carve out time for your life during the day, says Alexis Haselberger, time management, productivity, and leadership coach at Alexis Haselberger Coaching and Consulting, Inc. Margolis adds that microshifting enables you to work during your peak energy and handle personal tasks when your energy dips. It also reduces stress because you don’t have to rush or lump your commitments into one block. For example, you don’t have to formally request time off because your doctor is only available at a certain time. 

Another plus is alleviating guilt. When you’re microshifting, you don’t have to sneak off to have lunch with a friend or run an errand. You don’t have to neglect yourself or your family by missing school pickups or weekly outings. You can even make time for a hobby in the middle of the day because you can catch up on work later that night.

Is Microshifting Right for You?

Benefits for Employees

Some of us identify as a night owl or morning person. Others land somewhere in between, getting a boost of energy after lunch. Accordingly, “microshifting enables you to perform your work around your most productive hours,” Margolis says. It’s also beneficial for working parents or people with caregiving responsibilities. “Working a few hours before your kids get up or after they go to bed can leave your mornings free for breakfast and drop-off and your afternoons free to spend time with your kids,” Haselberger says.

Another benefit of microshifting is allowing real-time collaboration with colleagues across different time zones. “Working a few hours in the early morning or late evening allows you synchronous time with colleagues and time for yourself during the day,” Haselberger says. It also gives you flexibility if you work remotely. For example, you can do the laundry or wash dishes between meetings. 

For people with chronic health conditions, microshifting can be a lifesaver. “People who suffer from chronic fatigue may benefit from working a couple of hours at a time while resting in between,” she adds. In addition, people with conditions that require frequent doctor’s appointments or in-person treatments can benefit from working in shorter blocks. 

Benefits for Employers

The same report from Monster also found that 53% of microshifters admit to hiding it from their boss. However, this secrecy and lack of trust from employers may not be warranted. “A key benefit of microshifting is that it enables employers to acquire and have access to more talent,” Margolis says. “Think of your parents or caregivers or anyone who balances multiple roles. It gives organizations a competitive edge in sourcing and acquiring talent.” 

In addition to expanding the talent pool, microshifting helps with retaining employees. When workers have some autonomy over their time, they’re more likely to stay rather than look for another job, she says. Microshifting also allows them to work more efficiently. “It means that those important reports or stakeholder meetings get done when someone is at their natural energy peak,” she says. 

Another reason for allowing microshifting is that people are already doing this, including those in leadership positions. In fact, there’s a term for it called “coffee badging,” which is when you come into the office and stay to drink a coffee (or longer), she says. That way, leaders can be visible to their teams and attend important meetings without being in the office for the entire day. 

If you’re an employer hoping to implement microshifting, she suggests finding out from other organizations about the benefits and drawbacks of flexible work schedules. Consider doing a trial run with one department and seeing how it affects productivity and job satisfaction. “Organizations do need to meet the moment, and this is where a lot of new workers are heading,” she says.

Downsides to Microshifting

Here are some drawbacks of microshifting and how to address them. 

Risking Boundary Creep

As a worker, microshifting is supposed to help you reclaim your personal time. “If you’re not careful, microshifting can feel like work is endless and seeps into all parts of the day,” Haselberger says. Likewise, your personal time can extend into your work hours such as when a school pickup turns into an extra 20 minutes of chatting with other parents. 

To prevent boundary creep, she suggests having clear start and end times and setting boundaries by turning off notifications for email and Slack when you’re unavailable. Margolis agrees, saying that you should have a ritual to signal the end of your workday. For example, you can ask yourself what you achieved today, or leave your desk and go for a walk. 

Causing Friction

Microshifting often means being on a different schedule from your coworkers. “If you’re not mindful of the needs of your colleagues, it could cause issues with being available for synchronous work,” Haselberger says. For example, you could miss important meetings or real-time teamwork. 

Margolis’ advice is to communicate your availability to your team, including your clients, bosses, and coworkers. Manage their expectations of when they can count on you for meetings or deadlines. Put these blocks of time in your calendar and provide your team with regular updates. 

Another potential source of friction comes from stepping away from work for personal time. Perhaps you’re from a generation or corporate environment where you had a strict 9-to-5 mentality and ate lunch at your desk. You might look at a colleague and think he really shouldn’t be sneaking off to lunch early. Her advice is to be aware of the judgment you place on yourself or others for adopting a flexible work schedule. 

Giving the Wrong Impression

As a new employee, you do need to manage impressions, Margolis says. When you’re onboarding, avoid asking your boss how much time you can take off for personal reasons. Instead, do your research. Check out employee handbooks and ask colleagues whether there are formal or informal policies on microshifting. 

If such a policy exists, discuss it with your manager. For example, you can say, if I run an errand this afternoon, can I finish my report this evening? Once your manager sees that you’re getting your work done, they might be more amenable to adjusting your work hours.