Six Reasons Why You Should Not Work Long Hours

If you have a job, you have probably tried to work harder and longer to advance your career and make more money. However, many people fail to realise that this action comes at a cost.

These are the six reasons why working harder or longer could hurt your life in the short and long term:

1. Increased health risks

The side effects from working harder and longer will show up later in life.

According to BBC, working over 55 hours a week contributes to heart disease, stroke and a heightened risk of premature deaths.

Based on AIA Vitality 2019 survey, approximately 50% of Malaysians are overworked. The lack of sleep from stress provided a loss of 73.3 days per worker, and 32% of workers have one or more chronic conditions.

The situation might have worsened during the pandemic, even with work-from-home arrangements, as many employers expect their employees to be reachable 24/7.

According to Ipsos' survey, 63% of employees have trouble finding work-life balance.

These health risks affect workers' finances as they might be forced to take leave to look after themselves, leading to loss of income or jobs.

2. Higher expenditure on childcare

The more a person works, the less time they have to spend at home. Couples who work will need to spend more on their children's childcare.

They also miss the opportunity to spend enough time with their children, as overworking leads to less quality time with the family members.

There must be a balance between work and life.

3. Less time to build relationships

When a person works longer and harder, it also means that they have less time to build relationships with others. Social connections keep us healthy, so it's worth it to measure your career and compare its worth to your current relationships.

Ask yourself these questions:

How many actual friends do you have?
Are you an involved and present family member?
Who among your connections knows they can count on you if they need any help or support?
How often have you had meaningful talks with the essential individuals in your life, where you listen more than you talk?

4. Heightened risk of mental health problems

Working harder and longer can also lead to mental health issues. Did you know that Kuala Lumpur is the fourth most overworked city out of 50 countries? According to the research, 40% of the population fulfil the criteria for mental disorders.

The truth is, living costs force most of us to work harder to make ends meet. Of course, it is wise to reflect on achieving a better work-life balance for your mental health's sake.

5. Lowered productivity and efficiency

When you work longer and harder, it makes you less productive and efficient. Among the G7 countries, Japan has one of the longest working hours but lowest productivity.

In this country, it is found that workers experience a decrease in productivity despite working 15 hours more than their contracted hours per week.

Burnout and fatigue start to rise when you work longer, which affects your work quality. It is best to take a break and switch off for the night. When the mind is tired, the body will be, too.

6. Increased living cost

The longer and harder one works, the more expenses they will incur. They would need to pay more for parking and petrol if they drive or ride to work. Working late means they have less time to run errands that would decrease their expenses, such as cooking instead of dining out.

As we work longer, we might need more healthcare services to deal with illnesses that we are more vulnerable to. We may also need to invest in our mental health with therapy and medication.

Click here to Post Job for 30 Days + Get Extra 30 Days >> https://bit.ly/3572wfO
If you have any questions, please feel free to Whatsapp us at 018 966 6610 / Click Here >> https://bit.ly/3xcII6G

Articles that might interest you
What You Need to Know About Program Subsidi Upah (PSU) 4.0
Latest Dine-in SOPs for Phase One of the NRP
KPDNHEP Allows Further Relaxation to More Sub-Sectors