There is nothing noble nor productive about sacrificing for your job. Do not lose sight of the things that make life worth living as they are not usually found in your job.
Would you rather break than take a break?
- Updated: February 17, 2021
Many of us find satisfaction and fulfilment when we can be the best in our chosen field.
Sometimes we would also claim and believe that focusing on work is the way to success. And that we should devote our entire physical and mental energy on our career goals.
However, we fail to consider the effect on other aspects of our life, especially our health, to make this possible.
Workaholics spend a larger percentage of their lives on their work. The time spent extends beyond the office hours. Working more than what your body can handle is obviously unhealthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.
How will you know if you are working too much or too hard?
These signs might help you recognise the alarming indications that you are failing at work-life balance.
1. Your job has become your life.
Work is the first thing you think about when you wake up and the last thing before you go to bed.
You think about work while you are out with friends or with your family.
You check your company email or WhatsApp messages every 30 seconds throughout the day.
You should leave for a few days if you feel you could not possibly go on leave for a day.
Your absence is not going to kill anybody. You are not that important.
2. You have lunch at your desk or just skip lunch.
You do not set aside time to eat properly. Or eating less or skipping meals. You give yourself the reason that you do not have the time for lunch. It is just an excuse.
Or you might find that you are eating more junk food than usual in place of a proper meal.
Changes in your eating habits can also be a good indicator of when you need to take a break.
I have seen people ordering a sandwich for lunch and then taking 4 hours to finish eating it. And without leaving the computer.
3. You lack appetite and everything you eat is tasteless.
You just take a bite or two and stop. You lose interest in the food placed in front of you and stop eating. And yet, this also happens to your favourite dishes.
Overworking can cause people to lose their appetite.
It is very worrying if you finally lose your interest to eat anything even with an empty stomach.
4. You get irritated easily.
You start growling at your family and co-workers over the most trivial things.
Losing your cool over nothing important is a common signal that you are burning yourself out at work.
Most people do not have the chance to express themselves and complain about work-related issues. Like a time bomb ready to go off anytime.
Even the slightest thing can throw you over the edge.
5. You lack motivation or are bored.
You are finding it more and more difficult to get any work done. Simple tasks suddenly seem like major projects and you lack the creativity and thought process to successfully complete anything. The job you once found stimulating now feels like a chore.
Losing motivation in your job or interest in things you once enjoyed could mean you are about to burn out.
High stress levels can turn activities you once enjoyed into monotonous tasks you do out of obligation.
6. You cannot concentrate and start making careless mistakes.
Are you struggling to follow what is being said during a meeting? Or do you find yourself rereading the same two lines when you try to unwind with a good book?
The more overworked or stressed out we are, the more avoidable mistakes we will make. If your errors are piling up, you probably need to recharge your batteries.
Those are signs telling you need to take a break. When your mind cannot take it anymore, it becomes hard to concentrate. This results in irrational thoughts and a mind that is scattered all over the place.
No one is immune to mild forgetfulness or off days from time to time. But if you find that your usual tasks are taking longer or feel harder to get through, you may have too much going on.
7. You do not have time for anything else.
You find out that you are spending less time with your family or on your interests. And not building, nor maintaining your relationships.
A demanding, all-encompassing job will affect your relationships with your family and friends.
You also do not have time for your interests outside of work. And stop spending time on your hobbies, sports, travel, and family activities.
Your work takes up every part of your life. And your life revolves around your work.
8. Neck, back and eye aches are already a part of your everyday life.
Your body feels like a wreck.
Neck, back, and eyes aching are part of your daily routine. They appear less serious, but they are possible symptoms of a larger problem. And they cause unproductive and painful workdays.
Stress can raise your blood pressure, upset your stomach, and give you headaches. Working at a desk all day puts stress on your wrists, shoulders, hands, eyes, back, and neck. Every job is hard on your body if you do not take breaks.
9. You rely on coffee to get you through the day.
Sleeping late or not sleeping at all because of work is a norm.
Coffee is your magic potion. It keeps you wide awake and you feel pumped up.
However, too much coffee can give you more than just dilated pupils.
Irregular heartbeats (from experience) and the jitters such as muscle spasms and restlessness.
10. You look like someone out of The Walking Dead.
Stress affects your appearance. Overworking triggers stress.
Have you watched or heard of “The Walking Dead” TV series?
Look at yourself in the mirror and think about what you see. Look at those tired eyes and eye bags.
Do you look like a survivor of a zombie apocalypse?
Get enough sleep and finally take a long and relaxing break from work. And all these wrinkles and worry lines will disappear.
Afterthoughts
People who believe that success depends on the number of hours they put in for work are right. However, the human body is not designed to handle prolonged physical and mental use.
Besides, too much work will make us sick, which affects our productivity. Go for a holiday if you need it.
A healthier mind and body should always come first.
While your work is an important part of your identity, your work should not become your whole identity.
Having an identity outside of work is about more than just having fun. It also helps you relieve stress, grow as a person, and avoid burnout.
Are you sacrificing for your work, or just suffering for It?
Stop thinking about the sacrifices and start thinking about the choices you have.
So, if you find work worth sacrificing yourself for, then do it right.
Respect your limits, pace yourself, and get the help you need to give your best.