We can thank unions for humane 8 hour workddays that a few lucky designers enjoy. I have issues with unions, but this and healthcare are two of their big achievements. In the past few years there has been a lot of union busting it looks like more comopanies have open ended hours for design departments. They tend to hire young people who don’t know any better and work them till they burn out or start blowing up at the boss, then replace them with another sucker.
I work intensely and find that an 8 hour day is about it. After that, I walk around feeling like crap. If I work with a company that wants long hours, I slow down to keep from burning out. I’m more productive and focused in an 8 hour day, and I can come in fresh the next day. After a few days of long hours, judgment and energy drops substantially. I wonder if there have been any research and testing done on this subject.