Zofia,

My caring friends and family point out to me “some high-achievers don't work so many hours as you. If you want to achieve your goal professionally, it's more important to work smart than work long hours”.

Others point out “many high-achievers work very long hours because they love their work and devote their entire life to it.” Grandpa worked 10 hours a day and probably 7 days a week when he was younger. I know many such high-achievers in my circle. Zhou En Lai too.

Each person has his own “achievement style”. For example, a property tycoon needs good connections, business acumen, but long hours may not help her much. A violinist need many many hours of practice everyday. It's unwise to blindly compare to a “clever” colleague and conclude “no point working so many hours longer than him since he's doing better than I.” The clever colleague may possess stronger project management skill, an easier project, a forgiving manager, better system knowledge etc.

When I compare with my peers in IT, i know that i have better technical knowledge because i work long hours. I know my work is generally more thorough because i make extra effort on quality. My personal experience shows me long hours dedicated to work (office or home) pays off.