It's time to take over: your job could be killing you

If you think the stress in your job is killing, you may be right. Surveys from around the world show that overwork and serious physical and mental health problems are more closely related than one might imagine.

Researchers at University College London, for example, found a relationship between overwork and cardiovascular problems, especially irregular heartbeat or atrial fibrillation - which can increase the chances of stroke fivefold. They observed data from 85, 000 workers, mostly middle-aged men and women.

Another study from Columbia University Medical Center analyzed physical activity meter data from 8, 000 workers over 45 years of age. And they conclude that sitting in an office for long periods (over 12 hours) has a similar effect to smoking . Australian National University has published a survey that states that working hours over 39 hours a week are a risk to people's well-being.

Stand-by workers

Like your smartphone, some researchers point out that this generation of workers does not turn off. It is as if we are always in standby. Activities such as relaxing, reading a book, and having a hobby are seen as lazy because of the “work mythology”. But is working less worse? In fact, according to US researcher Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, no.

He says most modern workers can stay productive for four hours a day. The rest of the time is consumed by a great deal of worry. However, just shortening the workday does not necessarily solve the problem. After all, a few hours of highly stressful activity is still ... highly stressful.

Researchers say working more than 39 hours a week can be a health risk

To make matters worse, technology is not freeing anyone. In 2002, less than 10% of employees accessed corporate email outside the office. That number has risen to over 50% today, according to data from The Guardian. The work environment can also be the cause of health problems. Prolonged stress, anxiety and long periods of inactivity are “potential killers”.

Are better jobs for our physical condition, metal and less working hours a utopia?

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It's time to take over: your job could be killing you via The Brief

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