Signs of overwork
How do you know if you are working too much? Find out signs that indicate you are overworking.
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Are you working for more than 10 hours a day? Are you the first person to reach the office and the last person to leave?
Spending more time at work every day is bad for your health and work performance. How so?
Various researchers and organizations have looked into the mental, physical and emotional effects of working beyond standard work hours and found that working more than 10 hours a day increases the risk of cardiovascular issues by 60 percent. Additionally, it causes unhealthy weight gain and depression. Working in a fatigued state is counterproductive.
But simply counting work hours does not give a clear picture. You will have to look into signs indicating that you are on the path to burnout. Here are some tell-tale signs of overworking.
You turn to unhealthy habits for relaxation
Often by end of the day or week, you find yourself so tired with work that you need to either drink alcohol or consume unhealthy substances to relax. You cannot seem to relax on your own.
Consuming such substances to relax is a dangerous dependency. You do need some downtime to re-energize but using addictive substances is not the right way to do so. It is recommended to explore healthy ways of relaxing like going for a long drive, spending time with family, and reading a book.
You are fighting day time fatigue
Longer hours at work mean finding less time for yourself and often people sacrifice sleep time to make up for the extra hours spent at work. For instance, if you reach home late at night then by the time you are done with personal chores like cleaning, cooking, or other home errands you get late for bed. But getting up early in the morning is non-negotiable. You have to be up at 6 every morning to reach work on time.
Now, this is an unhealthy routine. Your body requires minimum hours of sleep to function well. Sleeping less will not only result in daytime fatigue but will also decrease productivity and increase the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.
You are feeling sad
Working too much can take a toll on your mental health. According to a study, spending more than 11 hours per day can cause depression. This is because you are under constant stress to work and you have less time to recuperate.
If you feel sudden bouts of sadness and are unable to explain the reason behind it then you should take this seriously. Consult a therapist, try meditation, and reduce your work hours.
What about people who enjoy working? Working 8 hours a day is for everyone. Even if you enjoy work, you need to find time to relax. You have to set a strict demarcation between work and personal time. Unless you relax your mind and body you will not be able to give your best at work. Thus, organizing your time to maintain a work-life balance is imperative.
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