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On the seventh day, he locked in.

For some workers, toiling on a Sunday to get ahead for the week can feel like an imperative or maybe a nice way to feel set for the Monday morning barrage of messages and calls.

Yet it also comes at a price, said executive coach Shane Arthur.

"The idea is that if you crush the prep on Sunday night, the week goes so well," he said. "Don't do that."

Arthur said he tells clients — which include business owners, CEOs, and other executives — to avoid it and instead carve out time during the week so work doesn't eat into time for rest and other priorities.

For some workers, logging on over the weekend is the norm. In 2025, Microsoft reported a "notable bump" in email activity on weekends among users of its workplace software.

Arthur encourages workers — even those who aren't the boss — to block off time Monday morning to plan for the week. As little as an hour without meetings can help set up a smoother week, he said.

At the other end of the week, Arthur recommends setting aside time Friday afternoon to review the week that was and prepare for the one ahead.

His advice runs counter to a broader strain of hustle culture as Silicon Valley debates "grindslop" and the virtues and pitfalls of the 996 work model, which favors long hours, six days a week.

The goal, Arthur said, is to keep work from spilling into the time people need for other activities, including downtime.

Business Insider wants to know what you think about working on Sunday to get ahead for the week. Is it a good way to get ahead — or at least feel more on top of things come Monday am? Or could it lead to burnout?

Take our survey: