Are You Overworked?

Are You Overworked?

Overwork

Working is as synonymous with adulthood as play is with childhood.

Most people work from 47 to 55 years of their lives before retirement. So, it is safe to say that our work life takes a huge chunk of our lives.

A worthwhile career can be one of the most meaningful and rewarding things a person can do. However, there is such a thing as overworking, and it spells problems no matter how important that career.

Overworking is simply working too hard or too much for way too long. In simple terms, it is working beyond the normal threshold or capacity. It is working to the point when the work ceases to be rewarding and feels more like a punishment.

For many people overworking is often imposed on them but sometimes overworking is simply by choice to achieve some perceived benefits. However, in either case, it is not healthy.

Overworking leads to all sorts of negative places – from emotional to physical.

The Emotional & Physical Effects of Overworking

Overworking can cause people to grow resentful of their jobs, and of course every working hour.

This leads to other negative consequences such as substance misuse, lower creativity, and lower productivity among others. It could also lead to chronic stress and anxiety, which can go on to trigger depression and can become toxic for both personal and professional relationships.

Prolonged periods of overworking are stressful and causes fatigue, loss of concentration, insomnia, headaches, neck pains, lower back pain, changes in appetite, and in prolonged cases can also weaken the immune system which then makes room for a multitude off other illnesses.

Stress also contributes to aging and other metabolic disorders.

Overworking is not something to be proud of, especially when it goes on for a prolonged period. Below are some simple strategies you can employ today to curb overworking, whilst getting the most of your working life.

Seven Solutions to Preventing Overwork

  1. Differentiate Important from Urgent

There is no end to what can be done. So, if you keep your schedule open, it is sure to get filled up with lots of seemingly important tasks.

But you need to pause and ask yourself, “How important is this task really?” Often tasks can wait or maybe are not really necessary at all.

On the other hand, preparing the night before with a list of the important things you need to do the next day can help you determine exactly what your priorities are for the new day.

  1. Do the Important Things First

You want to do those important tasks first so that at the end of your working hours, only the less important things are left; and since they aren’t really important, you can decide to leave them for the next day.

However, if you put aside an important task earlier, you would be forced to work overtime in order to complete it. So, by first picking, then prioritizing, you essentially weed out the need to work past the end of a normal day.

  1. Delegate Tasks or Ask for Help

The better you choose, prioritize, and delegate tasks, the more effective your work will be.

This could mean asking for help on a very important project rather than spending all day on a single major task, while others are free or playing around with unimportant jobs. If it is work that has several parts to it, you will achieve more by delegating than trying to do everything yourself.

  1. Learn to Say No

If after choosing, prioritizing, and delegating, you find extra work finding its way to your desk, you must learn to gracefully decline.

The problem with a lot of overworked people is that they are always trying to please others, and this is something you don’t want to be identified as. When your business is under-resourced you may be exploited and grow resentful of the work and the people you are helping.

So having said that, focus on what’s important in your business and not someone else’s.

  1. Listen to Your Mind and Body

As you work, also note that time and space on your schedule aren’t the only indicators of how much you’ve worked. You also want to listen to your body. If you feel stressed or exhausted, don’t hesitate to drop what you are doing and have a break now and then to get your groove back.

  1. Block Out Time for Relaxation and Recreation

You can also intentionally block out time to relax. It doesn’t matter if you are tired or still have some work to do. Simply ensure that once it is time for a break, you take it; and later return to whatever you were doing.

  1. Get an Accountability Partner

If you find yourself in the habit of always pushing yourself beyond your limits, get an accountability partner to help. Inform this person that you do not want to get into (or that you are already into) the habit of overworking, and that you’d love them to help keep an eye on you.

Try to Work Smarter not Harder

When you use these tips to work more effectively, you will come to realize that your energy levels would always be high, your creativity at its zenith, and your enthusiasm is as strong as ever. Obeying these little self-care practices can be the difference between a delightful 50 or so years of employment, and 50 years of working misery.

In other words, stop believing that working or grinding all the time is the only way to succeed. It is important to remember that rest, recovery, and reflection all contribute to leading a happy and successful life.

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