How Much Are Extra Hours At Working Costing Your Health?

So many clients I see are chronically stressed by the extra hours at work they hoped would help improve their quality of life and chance of promotion. When in reality those extra hours at work are actually seriously decreasing their quality of life and health. Sadly it’s not until they have some sort of burn-out, health or relationship issue. Do they start to truly realise how much extra hours at work is actually costing them emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Is Extra Hours At Work Decreasing Your Quality Of Life?

Excessive working hours are not just bad for your health but can also impact your relationships, your performance and quality of life but can actually also in the long-term cost you more financially. So many people start to work extra hours to boost their income, impress their boss or to be considered worthy of a pay rise or promotion. That they don’t see how much those extra hours at work are leaking into their personal time, reduce quality time with their family, loved one and those things that keep us more healthy and balanced.

How Much Extra Hours At Work Can Cost You Financially

Another common issue is that many clients especially those with families and other commitments can end up spending so much money on those extra things like nannies, baby sitters, ironing service, taxis, fast food than home cooked meals, extra gifts and day outs to make up to your kids, or even extra tax. That you end up financially worse off.

With careful analysis, many clients are shocked at how much they are actually spending on extras to “actually work these extra hours” or “compensate for those hours”. That is why being willing to look at those extra hours at work objectively to identify if those extra hours are improving your quality of life and/or your future. Or is those extra hours at the office having too much of an impact on your health, happiness and relationships.

Stress At Work Is Costly

We know stress at work is a big problem for so many people today. Most people don’t think to count those visits to the “massage therapist” or “osteopath” for that back or shoulder problem. Originally caused by the stress or extra strain of long periods at the desk, car or on your feet. The need for an extra holiday or weekend away because of the exhaustion, overwhelm and stress.

A lot of extra work, often leads to so much extra stress and increase in addictions from eating, smoking, drinking and both prescribed and illegal drugs.

People today are so easily seduced by promises of tomorrow, programmed that materialism and status will end all of their problems. That they end up living a life full of extreme internal and external pressure with no balance. So much stress and imbalance they self-destruct in the process, and in some cases kill their self with chronic stress for a few extra hours.

Believe me I wish I had realised the financial, the mental, emotional and physical cost of burnt-out of working those extra hours before it was too late. I learned the hard way the long term cost of those extra hours as someone who became seriously ill in my early twenties while a student trying to juggle several part time jobs. And for over 30 years spent a large part of my income trying to fix those health issues.

Write Down How Much Money Your Extra Working Life Costs You In “extras”?

Parking, eating out, take-aways, taxis, help,

Write Down How Much Your Extra Work Is Costing You In Other Areas?

Family dinner, down time and me time, friends, yoga, gym, kids football, school events, birthdays and other special occasions…

How much would you save mentally, emotionally and physically with a less demanding job? Believe me, too many people take their health and well-being for granted and it is too late when its gone.

The Balance Of Working To Live, Than Living To Work

I think it’s so important to get the work life balance right. For us to recognise when we are working to live or as someone who comes from a family of workaholic tendencies identify if we have fallen into the shadow of living to work. Most of us need to slow down more to achieve amore  happier, healthier life. But sadly most people only make those healthier life changes after a serious scare or when we have serious health challenges or and when it’s too late.