One of the biggest myths in project management is that working longer hours means faster results. In reality, overtime is often a shortcut managers take when teams fall behind but it usually backfires. Agile methods like Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP) highlight the importance of maintaining a sustainable pace, which means working at a speed the team can continue indefinitely without burning out.
When a project slips behind schedule, managers often think overtime is the easiest solution. It feels simple: keep the team in the office longer, provide pizza and energy drinks, and hope the problem disappears. But this is a short-term fix at best. Other, better options include adding more people to the team though it takes time for them to ramp up. Dropping a few requirements. Simplifying requirements to deliver lighter versions. Extending the project deadline.
These options may take more effort to coordinate, but they are healthier and more effective than endless overtime.
What Sustainable Pace means?
The idea of sustainable pace became popular with Kent Beck, the creator of Extreme Programming (XP). He described it as a “40-hour week.” In simple terms, a sustainable pace is the level of work a team can maintain consistently without needing recovery time. In Scrum, this matters because sprints are meant to be steady cycles of work , not exhausting races. If a team ends every sprint burned out, productivity will eventually decline, and mistakes will increase.
Why Overtime Fails Over Time?
A real example shows this clearly. A CTO once ordered four weeks of mandatory overtime: Week 1: Velocity jumped 22%. Everyone pushed hard. Week 2: Velocity rose only 2%. The energy was fading. Week 3 & 4: Velocity actually dropped below average by 16–20%. The team delivered less than they would have at a normal pace. Why? Because people were tired, stressed, and making mistakes. Defects went up, motivation went down, and the project slowed.
This pattern is common. Research shows that when teams push beyond sustainable pace, they create more bugs and technical debt, which costs even more time later.
Overtime Can Work but In Rare Cases, this doesn’t mean overtime is always bad. Occasionally, one week of overtime can help a team achieve something critical: A must-have demo for investors. Meeting a legal or compliance deadline. A product launch tied to an important event. Short bursts of overtime can even build camaraderie when used sparingly. But it should be a last resort, not a standard practice.
Sprints Are Not Races
The word “sprint” in Scrum sometimes causes confusion. People imagine it means working at maximum speed until exhaustion. But in reality, a sprint is just a time-boxed cycle of steady, sustainable work. By working at a sustainable pace, Agile teams Maintain energy across multiple sprints. Deliver consistent value. Avoid the overtime-stress-defect cycle.
That’s why leading institutes like HelloSM, known as the best Scrum training institute in India and a top training institute in Hyderabad, emphasise sustainable pace as a cornerstone of effective Agile practice.
Agile is about smarter work, not harder work. Overtime should be like a fire extinguisher available for emergencies, but not something you rely on every day. By keeping a sustainable pace, teams deliver higher quality, stay motivated, and succeed in the long run.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does sustainable pace mean in Agile?
Sustainable pace means working at a speed the team can maintain indefinitely without burning out. It ensures steady delivery of value without sacrificing quality or team health.
Is overtime ever acceptable in Scrum projects?
Yes, occasional short bursts of overtime can help in urgent cases like legal deadlines or critical demos. But using it every sprint leads to burnout and reduced productivity.
Where can I learn more about Agile practices like sustainable pace?
Institutes such as HelloSM Agile Training, recognised as the best Scrum training institute in India, provide in-depth learning on Scrum principles, Agile mindset, and sustainable practices.
