Spending long hours at work can be just as harmful to your health as it is to other aspects of your life, and balancing daily life and work time is the best thing you can do.“.
A recent study by the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization revealed that working more than 55 hours a week can have negative effects on your health..
Cleveland Clinic psychologist Adam Borland said that the traditional work week is about 40 hours, but it is very unrealistic these days, and many of us have work weeks that exceed 40 hours, and the reasons for this are many, including the large number of emails, and the difficulty in creating barriers While working remotely and understaffing.
According to the study, working more than 55 hours can be a cause of coronary artery disease, a condition of recurrent chest pain or stroke..
Side effects of working long hours
There are a lot of side effects that can affect your health at work quite a lot. If you are tired, your levels of cortisol (the essential stress hormone) increase which can lead to brain fog, high blood pressure and a host of other health problems..
Here are some of the common side effects of work exhaustion
1– Not getting enough sleep
Not getting enough sleep can be a sign that you are tired. Sleep improves both physical and mental health, so missing out on these items can affect how you handle stress, solve problems, or recover from illness..
2– Skip the main meals during the day
If you work a lot, it’s easy to get caught up in a task and forget to eat throughout the day, skipping meals and skipping meals can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, leading to low energy and even the chance to binge on unhealthy foods later in the day..
3– Lack of exercise
When we’re stressed, going to the gym is probably one of the first things we stop doing, but some form of exercise – ideally 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week – It can help prevent depression, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, help control blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes..
4– Lack of social contact
Working long hours affects your social relationships with family and friends, and having these social connections helps with feelings of loneliness, but it also sharpens your memory and cognitive skills while increasing your sense of happiness..
Signs of an unhealthy work-life balance
There are times when work can be stressful like trying to meet a deadline for a work assignment but if working more than 55 hours becomes normal, you may be exhausted Here are some signs that you may have an unhealthy work-life balance.
–You stop taking care of yourself.
–You don’t focus on your mental health.
–You are constantly worried about your work performance.
–You have trouble creating boundaries between home and work.
– Feeling lonely.
How to manage work stress
–set boundaries.
–Set expectations for yourself.
Decide what you are going to do today and when you want to finish it, then put it aside