Somehow, between the time when Apple II computers first appeared on metal office desks and the time you started booting up your Windows PC from the comfort of your cubicle, the notion of a 40-hour workweek became as unfashionable as your parents’ prom picture.

Today, after seven decades of decline, more than 31 per cent of college-educated male workers are regularly logging 50 or more hours a week at work, up from 22 per cent in 1980, according to The Expanding Workweek? Understanding Trends in Long Work Hours Among US Men. North Americans annually work nearly a third more hours than their counterparts in Western Europe do.

Is it any wonder that organisations like Take Back Your Time try to challenge the epidemic of overwork, over scheduling and time famine in the workplace? Just ask those who eat dinner at their desks: it’s hard to pack up and leave at 5 pm when your co-workers are still toiling away like it’s noon-time. How can we work more efficiently and reclaim some precious time for ourselves?

Job keepers: Work smarter, not longer

Teach people how to treat you. Show that you are a high-performing professional who also maintains strong personal boundaries. Your colleagues will respect you more. Protect your personal life by leaving work on time without making excuses.

It’s not just your cubemates who may snicker when they see you leave first. You’ll need to prove to your boss that you’re getting more done in fewer hours. “Make it clear that you are completely reliable. Turn in your assignments on time. Demonstrate that your clients are taken care of and are satisfied with your level of service. This will give you more latitude in maintaining firm boundaries around your personal life and personal time.

Job seekers: Get real but after the offer

Those searching for opportunities should “ask pointed questions about work / life balance after you’ve received an offer”. Be clear that it is important to you and that you are not able to work after hours.

Ask your potential new employer:

lWhat are the daily working hours? Can you put them in the offer letter?

lHow much overtime is expected?

lIs there an option for a compressed workweek?

Signing off

Ironically, the technologies that are supposed to make our lives easier — laptops, e-mail, instant messaging, PDAs, cell phones — make it harder to leave work at office. Final tip: unless required, do not include your cell phone or pager number in your voice-mail greeting or e-mail signature line. Providing this information says: You are free to contact me anytime and I will respond to you immediately.

Married and harried

The UC-Santa Barbara study found that it’s not the guys on the bottom rung of the economic ladder but at the top who are working more hours.

“Between 1979 and 2002, the frequency of long work hours increased by 12.4 percentage points among the top quintile of wage earners,” the authors concluded. “Married, salaried men are most likely to work long hours.”