Forget 9 to 5: Microsoft says the 'infinite workday' is already here

If you feel like you're working from the moment you wake up to the time you go to sleep, you aren't alone.

According to new analysis from Microsoft, more and more office workers are experiencing an "infinite workday," where they are online or doing some form of work from morning to night.

Analyzing data from the 365 suite, Microsoft found that the workday starts earlier than ever, with 40% of people already online and reviewing emails at 6 a.m. That's probably because the average worker using 365 receives 117 emails and 153 Teams messages per workday.

The company also found that it's hard for workers to get much done between 9 and 5, with 57% of meetings called in the moment without a calendar invite. Plus, most workers have only two minutes of focus time before being interrupted by a meeting, email, or message during those core work hours.

Microsoft revealed that "meetings hijack prime focus time," since 50% of meetings take place from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., which is when research has shown people are mostly able to be productive.

And after 5 p.m., things aren't looking better, with the workday increasingly bleeding into evenings and weekdays. Data show that 29% of active employees check their emails again around 10 p.m. and the average worker sends or receives 50 Teams messages outside of core work hours each day.

Microsoft also saw a 16% year-over-year increase in evening meetings and reported that 20% of workers are actively working over the weekend.

The company said its data "points to a larger truth: the modern workday for many has no clear start or finish."

"As business demands grow more complex and expectations continue to rise, time once reserved for focus or recovery may now be spent catching up, prepping, and chasing clarity," Microsoft said. "It's the professional equivalent of needing to assemble a bike before every ride. Too much energy is spent organizing chaos before meaningful work can begin. "