The 8 consequences of overwork: physical and mental health problems
Work is necessary both to guarantee the forms of subsistence and to develop a good self-esteem; When we feel useful, we learn to believe in ourselves. However, like any habit, overwork can damage our physical and mental health with amazing ease.
That is why it is important to always control the amount of work we face on a day-to-day basis, on the one hand, and the way we react to it, on the other. Otherwise, the logic of productivity will drag us down to make professional work our reason for living, something that can not be healthy.
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These are the effects of overwork
To prevent problems related to overwork, we must know how to recognize the warnings sent by the body. Then you can see what they are and how they are expressed in your body.
1. Anxiety
It is the clearest consequence of all. It is a feeling of discomfort and alertness that, in turn, makes it more difficult for us to face the challenges that lie ahead. Anxiety makes us always activated but that, at the same time, we are afraid to think about our responsibilities, which is why we postpone some of them. This procrastination contributes to the accumulation of obligations.
2. Burnout
Burnout syndrome is a psychological and physical condition typical of demanding work environments and with little capacity to respond to the needs of professionals. It consists of a mixture of depersonalization, crisis due to absence of motivating expectations, and anxiety generated by labor stagnation and monotony.
Keep in mind that the Burnout syndrome does not have to appear because of an excess of work, but rather it has to do with repetition and the lack of moments to take a break and get away from the work context . Thus, taking time to replenish energy and clear the mind often helps, but in other cases it is necessary to change occupation to feel good.
- Related article: "Burnout (Burning Syndrome): how to detect it and take action"
3. Work addiction
Paradoxically, overwork can make us even more enslaved under the yoke of future tasks to be performed and needs to be addressed. Why? Because the fact of having gone through difficult and unpleasant situations to reach the objectives that we have set makes us deny less margin to choose if in the future we will be in a similar situation.
Simply, the possibility of making our project or company damaged by our inability to work more seems an intolerable idea in view of the sacrifices we have had to make so that this initiative does not fail.
On the other hand, we run the risk of normalizing the excess of work, assuming the belief that always going overflow is what you always expect, the normal. From this point of view, avoid working more or taking a break is irresponsible.
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4. Carpal tunnel syndrome
It is one of the most common physical problems among workers who use computers a lot, such as administrative, computer or copywriters. It appears when the fact of having the hand in the same position to use the keyboard causes one of the nerves of the hand to be pressed at the height of the wrist.
5. Lumbar pain
By accumulating work, it is much less likely that we perform the tasks necessary to work while maintaining standards of well-being, and take breaks to change posture or stretch your legs is one of those options.
Sit all the time in the two or three positions that we believe help us to produce faster It damages both our muscles and the joints of our spine . Over time, it helps us to adopt that stooped position when walking or standing.
6. Insomnia
Sleeping problems are common when there is too much work. The causes of this are rumination and recurrent thoughts based on one's obligations, as well as the desestructuración of the labor schedule and the excessive use of screens.
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7. Gastric problems
The digestive system is very sensitive to the problems of stress and anxiety, so the excess of work feels like a blow to its operation. That causes gases, diarrhea and other complications to appear. Not only are they annoying, but they affect in a very clear way all the rest of the functions that take place in our body.Ultimately, we are what we eat, which includes the way we assimilate the food.
8. Cardiovascular problems
This problem is related to poor management of anxiety, which becomes chronic, and the bad habits of diet and exercise that result from the lack of time to exercise and eat healthy. Hypertension is the alarm signal .
