The Real Costs of Overworking

We get it. You love working. You love achieving. And you plan to take over the world one task (or several tasks) at a time.  

When it comes to working, it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind. For some, work has become all-encompassing that they even do so during the weekends. Earning money can get quite addicting. And so you work, work, and work some more. What could be the harm in that? Well, plenty actually.

Like all things in excess, there are costs to overworking. And they're quite high. Here are some of them:

You become a candidate for burnout

Long work hours and heavy workloads accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle can lead to one of the most vicious by-products of overworking - burnout. It's one thing to work long hours once in a while to finish a project or a task, but it's another to regularly pull in long hours for weeks at a time.

Burnout is being physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted that you. can't. even. When you're in the throes of burnout, you won't be able to function at all.

Here are some tell-tale signs of burnout:

• Trouble concentrating
• Sleeplessness
• Frequently sick
• Tired all the time
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of focus
• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Anger
• Depression

If you're experiencing some of these symptoms, take some time to assess your working habits and make some smart changes. The goal is to achieve a work-life balance that's right for you.

It leads to unhealthy habits

Ever sat in front of your lappy busily munching while typing? There's no doubt about it, overworking often gets in the way of healthy eating, exercise, and other good habits. And those can have serious consequences on your health.

You’re more likely to make mistakes

When you're running on empty, you're bound to make more mistakes. The lack of focus can cause you to commit lapses or slips that you won't otherwise do if you were well-rested. 

It increases the chance of depression

Studies reveal that people who work long hours combined with stress are twice likely to develop depression than those who don't. It can be a downer if you're always glued to your desk and slaving the days away on any given day, but to do so for extended periods of time can cost you more than what you bargained for.

In conclusion

Do you really achieve more by overworking? Not according to the costs we've listed above.

Even if you enjoy working and you get a kick out of putting in long hours, you need to consider the physical, mental, and emotional consequences. So go ahead. Take a breather. You'll be doing yourself a huge favor if you do. 

 

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