Possibility: Might help convince your editor if you can show your workflow. That's easy to do on some computer systems -- just punch out the times, stories and such on an audit. If that doesn't work on your system, you'll have to do it manually. But if you do it manually, make sure your editor doesn't think you have tons of free time to track that kind of thing, or else he might think you're underworked. ... Some people need visuals or numbers to be convinced. For instance, he might respond better to hearing that you do X percent of your editing in a four-hour window, even though you work an eight-hour day on your slow day. Stress that you're less likely to make mistakes if the work isn't crammed into a few hours.
I'd also pitch the idea of trying out your suggestion for a couple of weeks or so. That gives you the chance to show that it'll work, without him feeling locked in. If it doesn't work, you can revert. He might say yes to a trial just to appease you, and then find out you were right.
I'd try to pitch several possibilities at the same time, because it gives the person a choice and makes it more likely you'll get some, if not the whole.
If you can enlist co-workers to back up your suggestions, it might help convince your editor that they're for the good of your paper, rather than just for your personal benefit.
If you're pursuing the overtime thing, I'd pick one battle at a time, whichever is more important to you. If he ends up pissed about the overtime, it's more likely he'll say no to changing your schedule.
|