Jun 19, 2026
The battle over where employees should work — in the office or remotely at home — is still going strong at many companies. Now, a new front is opening up in the ongoing skirmish between employers and employees: when to work.
More and more lately, workers are favoring a practice called “microshifting.” In essence, this means breaking up their days into blocks, allowing them to recharge or take care of errands during the workday, rather than powering through an eight-hour shift.
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If it sounds familiar, that’s because the practice (though not the label) grew to popularity during the pandemic, when people weren’t bound by daily commutes and time clocks. Today, a growing number of workers are intrigued by the concept: a survey by Owl Labs found 65% of workers were interested in the concept of microshifting, with managers being three times as likely to try it than individual contributors.
Microshifting is a workstyle that has pros and cons. Here’s a look at both.
The case for microshifting
By breaking your work day into shorter chunks, that lets you squeeze in some personal business as well, which can give you more time to relax and enjoy your days off (rather than spend them running errands). It also lets you work when you’re most focused and productive, which means companies get the most of your time with them.
The focus becomes less aimed at schedules and more on output. If you're able to lock in and finish a project in five or six hours rather than stretching it out to eight, that's a win for both the company and the worker.
It’s a workstyle that’s especially beneficial for caregivers (both children or other relatives) who are more than three times as likely to try microshifting than non-caregivers.
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The downsides of microshifting
As nice as it is to be able to pick up your kids from school or grab groceries at a time where the store isn’t packed with other shoppers, there are some pitfalls that come with microshifting.
First and foremost, it’s a workstyle that requires a tremendous amount of self-discipline. If you’re not a motivated worker (or are someone who is easily distracted), getting things done in those work blocks could be challenging. You’ll have to train yourself to ignore attention vampires like email, pings from your phone or the siren song of social media as you concentrate on work.
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You’ll also have to be more aware of the preferred work hours of colleagues. If your microshifts don’t coincide with theirs, that can lead to periods of inactivity that might ultimately slow things down. Or, it could result in people working far beyond standard hours.
The pandemic showed that when workers have more flexibility in where and when they work, their workdays tend to be extended by an hour or two.
Microshifting also can blur the line between work and home, which can impact your overall satisfaction with both.
Ultimately, whether microshift working is the best approach depends on the individual. If you’re able to stay focused and have non-work responsibilities that need to be addressed during the traditional workday, it could be worth exploring. But if you’re easily distracted or only want to put in a set number of hours per day, it’s worth a second thought.
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Chris Morris is a veteran journalist with more than 35 years of experience at many of the internet's biggest news outlets. In addition to his activities as a writer, reporter and editor, Chris is also a frequent panel moderator and speaker at major conferences, including CES and South by Southwest.
