{"id":3067,"date":"2021-05-23T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-23T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/?p=3067"},"modified":"2023-12-27T17:37:40","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T22:37:40","slug":"you-work-too-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/you-work-too-much\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Sure-Tell Signs You Work Too Much (and What to Do Instead)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re wondering if you are working too much, you probably are. And you\u2019re not alone in thinking that work is becoming dangerously all consuming. It\u2019s said that the perfect blend of productivity, efficiency, and happiness is roughly around 40 hours of work per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But once you start pulling all-nighters, working in the range of 50 to 60 hours per week on a constant basis, it\u2019s time to draw the line. That\u2019s just the first<\/em> sign of overworking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, we\u2019re bringing you 5 clear signs you work too much (and what to do instead). Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"essentialism<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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Essentialism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

by Greg McKeown<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u23f1 15 minutes reading time<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfa7 Audio version available<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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When You\u2019re Not Taking Proper Care of Yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You know when you\u2019re working too much is when your body starts sending warning signals. It\u2019s never good to forego the very things that keep you healthy, happy, and energized, such as sleep and exercise, in order to do something work-related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These signs can make themselves known in the form of trouble sleeping, bouts of anxiety and mood swings, and constantly feeling groggy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is what to do instead. We\u2019re going to start right now with a breathing exercise. Breathe in. Count to three. Exhale. Count to Six. Make sure to your exhales are longer and slower than your inhales. You\u2019re calming your mind, resetting that extra nervous nervous system. And now, it\u2019s time to tackle the bigger issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common signs of overworking your body is a lack of adequate sleep. Start thinking of sleep as non-negotiable. Set rules for yourself. No work email after a certain hour. Create a go-to-bed routine that makes it easier to fall asleep, such as taking a nice, hot shower and doing light stretching before bed. Make your bed comfy, have a cup of calming tea, and set the alarm for six to eight hours of quality sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you know what? Waking up well-rested is going to make a huge difference in your next workday because you\u2019re going to absolutely power through it! No more daytime fatigue. Your mind is quiet at bedtime, you\u2019re no longer grumpy, and your productivity will shoot through the roof!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poor sleep is awful for so many reasons. Not only does it lead to the daytime fatigue we just mentioned, but it can affect your health on a long-term basis. You\u2019re dramatically increasing your risk for many diseases such as chronic conditions, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cHero\u201d Syndrome<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you often find yourself taking on too much, fixing others\u2019 work, and constantly stressing about whether or not what you\u2019re doing is perfect? Is it unfathomable to even consider asking others for help? And lastly, no matter how tired you are, no matter how many weekends and free time you just gave up, do you find yourself being proud<\/em> of being the one to save the day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t just perfectionism. It\u2019s something called the \u201cHero syndrome\u201d and it\u2019s a red flag waving, blaring sirens sign that you\u2019re working way too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This may be affecting not just you, but others. Lacking the ability to be collaborative, to delegate, and let others make mistakes, and more importantly, learn<\/em> will affect the entire workplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start being honest with yourself about how much you\u2019re taking on that\u2019s unnecessary, and start practicing the fine art of letting go<\/em>. Allow others to help. Ask for help. And if you find an opportunity to, share with your superiors that the workload is too much. It\u2019s liberating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell them that at the end of the day, your work hours have gotten out of control. You\u2019re close to burning out or already have, and you\u2019re not as efficient as you were. Bring up all your accomplishments and how much you\u2019ve contributed to the company if you need. Just don\u2019t forget that no job should make you sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Free Time is a Foreign Concept<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It goes like this: your job is so time-consuming that you have little spare time. After a few months, or even years, of this, you start forgetting about the last time you went on vacation, went on an adventure, or did an activity without staying \u201clogged in\u201d to your work and email. When was the last time you watched a fascinating movie, went shopping, or allowed yourself to do something that\u2019s– gasp!– totally unproductive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you identify with \u201cyou can take someone out of the office, but you can\u2019t take the office out of them\u201d; you need to rethink your priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re working, feel free to focus on work, but it\u2019s not good to take work home with you. If your mind and body are constantly in work mode, you\u2019re going to get exhausted. Constantly and consistently taking work home, obsessively going over reports, presentations, and projects at times when you don\u2019t necessarily need to– that\u2019s going to catch up with you later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now let\u2019s say you actually got a day off, or even a few hours\u2026and you find yourself lost. This is a sign that you\u2019re not just<\/em> working too much, it\u2019s that work has taken over your life to the point it doesn\u2019t allow for anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this spare time, you think: \u201cWhat do I do now? Do I watch a movie? Do I go on a walk? Do I\u2026and you find yourself unable to decide, overwhelmed with options. Eventually, this may lead to working even more, because you don\u2019t consider other possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what should you do? Consider building<\/em> non-work into your week. Take that schedule, to-do list, or whatever system you use to organize your tasks, and give yourself permission to add small stuff like \u201clisten to music\u201d, \u201cexercise\u201d, \u201cread a book\u201d \u201cwatch an episode of that show you keep hearing about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add \u201chang out with friends\u201d as a must-do at least once a week. Because– let\u2019s be honest– at this point, your personal relationships<\/a> must be taking a hit. You\u2019re spending so much time at the office that you\u2019re spending a significantly less amount of time with loved ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re probably missing events, gatherings, and so many dinners that you\u2019re drifting further away from the people you care about and who care about you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All Your Dreams Are Work-Related<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, it\u2019s important to have career goals and to have high aspirations, but they can\u2019t be all you think about. You can, and should, have dreams that aren\u2019t related to making money and advancing your career. There is no limit to what your personal aspirations can be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are family aspirations, dreams related to your interests, travel, et cetera– not everything about the future should be related to promotions, raises, gaining the admiration of your boss, landing projects, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way to tell you\u2019re working too much? When someone innocently asks you what your dreams for the future are, you answer something that\u2019s work-related. That should be a red flag to yourself. Because it means that all your interests are now bound within the confines of your job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what should you do instead? If work is taking over your dreams, it\u2019s time to revisit what made you happy before your job consumed you, before work defined your decisions, and before you start to grow concerned about how much of yourself you\u2019ve been giving to your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What were your hobbies before? Did you have Pinterest boards of activities you wanted to do? Did you enjoy often hanging out with friends and family? If you\u2019re not interested in the same things anymore, find new dreams to pursue!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Health Is Suffering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And finally, we have the ultimate sign that you\u2019re working too much: your health is taking a hit. Does this sound familiar? Your back is always aching– so is your neck, stress headaches are frequent, insomnia from an overactive brain at night leaves you tired all day, your eating habits have changed, and not for the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, back pain is one of the most obvious ways you can tell you\u2019ve spent too many hours hunched over your desk. This is a sign of stress caused by muscle tension. When overworking starts to impact both your mental and physical health, it\u2019s time to recheck your priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to feel exhausted and stressed all the time. Listen to your body, your gut, and its warnings. If one or more of these symptoms ring a bell, then it\u2019s time to cut back on your hours– before those symptoms become irreversible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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