In ancient Greece, philosophers like Plato and Aristotle were already struggling with the notion of work-life balance. The latter described spree as a remedy for the “evils of work,” which he said are accompanied by “toil and strain.” Work, they agreed, was necessary to live a virtuous life—and to pay for things—but it should not be an end, in itself.

Almost two and a half millennia later, we are still trying to define what constitutes a good life and how work and productivity factor. rush cultureand many of today's honest business leaders would have you believe so more is more. A strong and unwavering work ethic is a prerequisite for success. Sleep can wait, so thinking goes.

But a growing body of research and some innovative companies are showing that the truth is about productivity is more nuanced. More isn't always more – but working long hours isn't always bad. There are no hard and fast rules.