A method for operating an internal combustion engine so as to increase an exhaust-gas temperature, comprising: shortening an opening duration of an outlet valve of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine in the exhaust stroke in relation to a normal opening duration of the outlet valve; delaying an opening time of the outlet valve in the exhaust stroke in relation to a normal opening time of the outlet valve; optionally reducing a valve lift of the outlet valve in the exhaust stroke in relation to a normal valve lift of the outlet valve; and operating the internal combustion engine by firing of the cylinder and actuation of the outlet valve in accordance with the shortened opening duration and the delayed opening time and optionally also in accordance with the reduced valve lift, wherein a closing time of the outlet valve is unchanged in relation to a normal closing time of the outlet valve and/or lies in the region of TDC, in particular between TDC and 40° after TDC, characterized in that the opening duration of the outlet valve is shortened, and/or the opening time of the outlet valve is delayed, and optionally the valve lift of the outlet valve is reduced, such that: exhaust gas is, in particular initially, compressed in the cylinder in the exhaust stroke, compressed exhaust gas is decompressed upon opening of the outlet valve, and the compression and/or the decompression work is maximized under the boundary condition that a cylinder pressure at the opening time of an inlet valve of the cylinder lies below a threshold cylinder pressure that lies in a range between 15 bar and 25 bar. shortening an opening duration of an outlet valve of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine in the exhaust stroke in relation to a normal opening duration of the outlet valve; delaying an opening time of the outlet valve in the exhaust stroke in relation to a normal opening time of the outlet valve; optionally reducing a valve lift of the outlet valve in the exhaust stroke in relation to a normal valve lift of the outlet valve; and operating the internal combustion engine by firing of the cylinder and actuation of the outlet valve in accordance with the shortened opening duration and the delayed opening time and optionally also in accordance with the reduced valve lift, wherein a closing time of the outlet valve is unchanged in relation to a normal closing time of the outlet valve and/or lies in the region of TDC, in particular between TDC and 40° after TDC, characterized in that the opening duration of the outlet valve is shortened, and/or the opening time of the outlet valve is delayed, and optionally the valve lift of the outlet valve is reduced, such that: exhaust gas is, in particular initially, compressed in the cylinder in the exhaust stroke, compressed exhaust gas is decompressed upon opening of the outlet valve, and the compression and/or the decompression work is maximized under the boundary condition that a cylinder pressure at the opening time of an inlet valve of the cylinder lies below a threshold cylinder pressure that lies in a range between 15 bar and 25 bar. exhaust gas is, in particular initially, compressed in the cylinder in the exhaust stroke, compressed exhaust gas is decompressed upon opening of the outlet valve, and the compression and/or the decompression work is maximized under the boundary condition that a cylinder pressure at the opening time of an inlet valve of the cylinder lies below a threshold cylinder pressure that lies in a range between 15 bar and 25 bar.