Is overworking the best option? 3 reasons to be careful

Overwork is increasingly romanticized: “Only those who work hard can get far!”; “Work while they sleep!”; “Be productive!”. And with phrases like these, overworking has become normal, while resting has become wrong. 

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Have you ever felt guilty about taking a day off, even though it was the weekend?

If your answer was yes, it is very likely that you are working too much. 

And here, we are not even going to talk about meritocracy, or how much work makes a person great, but rather how much the lack of limits can make you sick, and something that was not even a problem can turn into a physical illness! That's scary, isn't it?

Therefore, in this post you will understand:

  • How do I know if I'm working too much?
  • Working too much is synonymous with burnout syndrome
  • How to Stop Overworking
  • 3 reasons to be careful about overwork

How do I know if I'm working too much?

Identifying whether you are working too much or not is harder than it seems, after all, we often take a routine that is far beyond what is reasonable as “normal”, simply because we have adapted to it. 

The result of this is responding to work messages late at night, thinking that everything is fine, or not respecting your rest time to resolve things that can wait until Monday, or simply going to sleep and waking up thinking only about what you have to say related to your profession. 

Suddenly, your family has taken a back seat and you haven't noticed. The hobbies you used to enjoy no longer fit into your routine, after all, you don't have time anymore. Books aren't being read and your routine is becoming increasingly rigid. 

It sounds like a sad story script, but it's a person's life. workaholic who is dedicated 100% to work! 

And working too much has more harm than good. In the following lines, you will understand why. 

Working too much is synonymous with burnout syndrome

One of the consequences of working too much is burnout syndrome. According to the website Tua Saúde, burnout syndrome is the peak of physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, resulting from great stress generated by work or studies. 

The worst part is that it is more common than it seems. Anyone who has to deal with situations that require a lot of pressure or responsibility every day is at risk of developing burnout syndrome if they do not set limits. 

BURNOUT SYNDROME
CONTINUE

Symptoms of burnout syndrome

Symptoms of burnout syndrome include:

  • Pessimism and negativity even when things are going well
  • Lack of energy, enthusiasm
  • Lack of concentration
  • Feeling of incompetence
  • Difficulty saying no and always putting others first
  • Tendencies to become isolated

And some other situations that can vary from person to person, most of the time linked to emotions. 

It is a fact that, in addition to all these symptoms, a person who works too much and has burnout syndrome also ends up becoming overweight – or underweight, sedentary, experiencing body aches for no apparent reason, and stomach pains. 

All this because work is a priority, and basic things like healthy eating end up taking a back seat. “I eat whatever I can, I don’t have time.” 

This is a very big danger, because people who work too much end up eliminating important things from their routine, in exchange for finishing a certain project or fulfilling their role with more dedication. 

The result of this is affected health. 

How to Stop Overworking

And then the question arises: how can I stop working too much if my routine is so heavy?

It's not easy to say that reorganizing your schedule is easy, after all, some days we would like to have 30 hours at our disposal to resolve all our professional or personal issues. 

However, we need to set limits, learn to say no and understand what is truly a priority in our lives. When work comes first, we realize that our time comes second. 

And in the end, the money earned through all this effort cannot be enjoyed in the best way, as there will not be enough time for it: you will be working. 

In this context, can you understand that this account doesn't add up?

So, the first step to avoid overworking is to set limits on yourself and others so that you can have specific schedules for yourself and your loved ones. 

Watching your children grow up, doing an activity you enjoy, sleeping 8 hours a night, these are not trivial things, but rather necessary for you to be increasingly productive. 

Setting boundaries can be difficult when people are already used to your quick service, but over time, you will realize that these boundaries will be respected, but of course, if you respect yourself first. 


3 reasons to be careful about overwork

By now, you've probably understood how harmful working too much is, and how much you lose by not setting limits on your working hours. 

But now, let's clearly illustrate 3 reasons why you should be careful about overworking. 

The job changes, but its principles remain

You often spend so much time working too much that you forget that what really lasts in your life is the family that is with you and the good things you manage to do in the meantime. 

The family that you haven't dedicated enough quality time to is the one that accepts you, regardless of your situation. 

No amount of money can restore weakened health.

Even if you have the best health plan, the time you will spend trying to recover your health is long, and it is not worth spending hours and hours without rest. 

Unfortunately, money cannot buy everything, and when we talk about well-being, having money may not be enough. 

It is your rest that makes you more productive

Have you ever noticed that you come up with brilliant ideas while having that conversation at the bar, or that it's much more enjoyable to start a day of work after having had a good rest and doing things you enjoy?

Therefore, it makes no sense to dedicate yourself to a life workaholic, without rest and without breaks. If your work is so important to you, think of rest as a tool to keep you productive and profitable. 

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Take the opportunity to read too Do you work in a toxic environment? Learn how to deal with it!.

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