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Have you ever pulled a 60-hour work week and felt like you got nothing done? Productivity researcher Chris Bailey ran a radical experiment—working 90 hours one week, 20 the next—just to see what would happen to his output. The results challenge everything contractors believe about grinding longer to get ahead.

In this episode of Contractor Evolution, Chris Bailey (author of Intentional) breaks down what his 90-hour vs 20-hour productivity experiment revealed about how work smarter not harder actually works. If you're running a contracting business and burning 60+ hours a week in the trenches, this conversation will show you why more hours ≠ more results—and give you practical methods for how to get more done in less time without sacrificing your margin or your mental health.

What you'll learn: 

• The surprising results of Chris Bailey's 90-hour productivity experiment 
• Why working longer hours actually destroys your output (and the data that proves it)
• How to transition from "warrior" mode to "system-builder" mode in your business
• Simple, research-backed methods for intentional productivity 
• The real cost of contractor burnout—and how to prevent it 
• Why the most productive contractors work fewer hours, not more

Whether you're stuck in the trenches or building systems to scale, this episode will change how you think about time, energy, and what it actually takes to grow a profitable contracting business.

00:00-Intro

02:12-Addiction to Distractions 

03:55-Impact of Tech on Focus 

09:51-Lessons from Boredom Experiment

17:08-The Power of Wandering in Leadership

20:00-Busyness Versus Productivity 

28:17-Training Brain Presence 

31:51-Sleep and Productivity Myths