Want to be a top performer working half a day? Do this.

Take this three-step approach to work half a day and be a top performer.

Sérgio Martins
3 min readAug 7, 2023

Feel like you need more time for everything?

I've become a senior software engineer, managing my successful Airbnb business, going to the gym regularly, taking care of my family and doggo, and enjoying time with friends.

And, in a hypothetical scenario where I'd get demoted to a junior role, it would be like going on vacation. Working 10 hours a week would be enough to get promoted during the next performance cycle. Not because I'm a great engineer—I am—but because I know what's important and what's not important, and the things that aren't important I wouldn't do.

It all comes down to a three-step approach.

1. Focus entirely for 2–4 hours every day

By doing this, you'll always be a top performer. You want your work to be a slow burn, not a heavy lift. A little every day will get you so far. It's not healthy spending long nights trying to ship something out; you'll burn yourself out and feel mentally and physically drained. Things that make you stand out can't be done in one go. Avoid context switching during this period.

I consider context switching…

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Sérgio Martins

Hey, my name is Sérgio, and I’m a Senior Software Engineer by trade. Here you’ll find short and straight-to-the-point articles related to my craft, and business