Working VS Workaholism

You’re not alone if you feel like work is taking over your life. According to Randy Simon, Ph.D., a certified clinical psychologist in Montclair and Summit, New Jersey, “something in the range of 40 to 50 hours a week is more than enough for most people.” Simon worked as a career and executive coach in corporate HR for years before receiving her Ph.D.

Counting labour hours, on the other hand, might be deceptive. The length of your commute, outside obligations, work atmosphere, sentiments of appreciation, and job satisfaction are all elements that might contribute to burnout.

It can be more beneficial to tune into your body instead. “Watch out for the moment when you can’t enjoy your vacation,” Simon warns. “It’s not healthy if work consumes all of your time.”

Check out the list below to determine if your body is displaying any of these warning signals as a result of your workload.

1. Working more than 40 hours per week increases your chances of consuming “risky” amounts of alcohol, according to one study. This equates to a minimum of 14 drinks per week for women and 21 drinks per week for males.

2. If you’ve increased your hours without seeing a big boost in production, it’s likely that the longer hours are lowering your output. According to a Stanford study, persons who worked 70 hours per week didn’t get any more work done than those who worked 56 hours. Simon continues, “We’re not wired to be productive every minute of every day.”

3. It’s a straightforward formula: staying up later results in less sleep and greater weariness during the day. “It’s quite difficult to calm your thoughts at sleep if you’ve been charging through the daytime for long amounts of time,” Simon explains. However, lack of sleep does more than make you irritable. It reduces productivity and raises your risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

4. You’re in the attitude of “live for the weekends” (unless you work on the weekends, too). Overworking can have a negative impact on your mental health. Workers who worked 11 hours a day were more likely to suffer from depression than those who worked seven to eight hours, according to one study.

5. Workplace stress can cause the hormone cortisol to be released, which is harmful to your heart. As a result, you’re more likely to have a stroke, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, or even cancer.

6. It’s not always a good idea to repeat yourself. According to a research published in the Occupational & Environmental Medicine journal Trusted Source, the more hours people worked, the higher their risk of back problems.”For women, the discomfort usually manifests in the neck, but for men, it manifests in the lower back.” “It’s a frequent symptom of stress brought on by muscular tightness,” Simon explains.

7. Even if you have time for relationships, the stress, weariness, and despair you’re feeling as a result of your job may be affecting them as well.

Conclusion

It’s not supposed to make you ill to get ahead. Your manager may be able to assist you if you’ve been working long hours with no end in sight. “Reflect on your achievements and how you contribute to the firm.

Then bring those up with your boss. “Then there’s the reality that your work hours have taken over and you’re not as productive,” Simon adds.

Take care of yourself, don’t over-work.