Don’t Stay Late. Go Home.

Do you control your work hours or do they control you? More people are staying late at work and suffering because of it. Before you have dinner at your desk (again), do these three things:

• Know your priorities. When deciding whether to stay and finish a task or put it aside until the next day, remember what your priorities are. If the task furthers your professional and personal goals, then it may be worth putting in the extra time. 

• Agree on expectations at home. Discuss your work hours with the people closest to you — your partner, spouse, or friends — to be sure your expectations are aligned.

• Talk about it at work. Make it clear that you are willing to stay late if there is a legitimate reason, such as a client deadline. But emphasize that this should be the exception, not the rule.