~by Wendy Dessler ~
Do you feel like work has begun to consume your life? If so, you aren’t alone. However, it’s not only the time you spend working that is impacting your health. Other factors such as job satisfaction, feelings of appreciation, your work environment, outside responsibilities, and your commute can impact your health in a negative manner.
Are you unsure if your work life is impacting your health? If so, consider the signs here. While you can use easy-to-use employee scheduling software to help take some of the burden off of your shoulders, you also need to know the signs of a problem. Keep reading to learn what these are.
You Have Started Turning to Alcohol to Help You Relax
If you work more than 40 hours per week, then the likelihood you will drink is much higher. Not only are you more likely to drink, but you are also more likely to drink risky amounts of alcohol. Risky levels are defined as 21 drinks a week for men and 14 for women.
Excessive consumption of alcohol can also increase the risk you will develop life-threatening conditions.
Reduced Productivity
Have you increased the number of hours you are working without significant results? Believe it or not, the longer hours are likely reducing your overall productivity. There’s a study that has shown that people who work 70 hours (or more) per week did not actually get more work done that others who worked 56 hours per week.
According to experts, the average person isn’t wired to remain productive every hour of every day.
You Don’t Get Enough Sleep and Experience Fatigue During the Day
This is a simple concept – if you are up later, then you don’t get enough sleep and have a higher likelihood of experiencing daytime fatigue. If you try to power through your workday for significant amounts of time, it can be difficult to “quiet” your mind when you try to sleep.
However, poor sleep won’t just make you moody. It can also reduce your productivity all while increasing the risk of developing chronic conditions, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
You Have Started Feeling “Blue”
Have you noticed you are experiencing the “living for the weekends” mindset – unless, of course, you are also working on the weekends? If you work too much, it can take a real toll on your mental health.
In fact, there are some studies that have found if you work more than 11 hours per day, you had a higher likelihood of battling depression than individuals who worked seven or eight hours per day.
Your Neck and Back Ache
Did you know that repetition isn’t always good? It has been discovered that people who work more are at a higher risk of suffering back pain. For women, the pain usually occurs in the neck, while for men it is in the lower back. This is a common sign of stress that is caused by muscle tension.
Your Relationships are Being Impacted
Even if you somehow find the time for a relationship, the fatigue, stress and depression that you experience may impact them too. If you have noticed your relationships have been impacted, then it may be a sign you are working too much.
As you can see, there are many ways that working too much can impact a person’s life and health. If you have noticed any of the aforementioned signs, then it may be time to slow down and reduce the number of hours you are working. This will be good for you and your health.
