Summary of BBC article
According to “Long working hours killing 745,000 people a year, study finds” (2021), working continuously for long hours can undermine our health mentally and physically. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that long working hours was one of the main causes for occupational disease. Further analysis suggested that these hard-working people could feel stressed, depressed, and anxious together with the development of unhealthy lifestyles such as poor-nutritious eating, lack of exercise and sleeping difficulty. Workers even experienced heart attacks or strokes due to the imbalance of working hours as the companies want greater performances from their employees. Working-from-home is encouraged, especially during the pandemic, but the past statistics showed that people were working overtime in a longer period compared to office-based. The trend would continue as the pandemic continues.Response to BBC article
I never realized that working hard for long hours would affect my life until I graduated and started my first job. When I was a student, my schedule was fixed. I knew which classes I had to attend and assignments I needed to complete. I could manage my time and coped with stress as I prepared myself for the upcoming examinations in advance. Reading until four a.m. and submitting the final project a minute before the deadline were one of the most stressful moments. However, when I started to work full-time as a business analyst, I worked for almost twelve hours a day, which harmed my physical and psychological health.
At eight a.m. in the morning, I turn on my computer and check email to see whether I have any meetings. Then I update the data and make a presentation. Throughout the day, any ad hoc work must be completed and my phone often rings. At the end of the day, I report the results to my boss. This is a routine of my working life. I usually eat breakfast and lunch next to my computer as I need to finish up all the work. I do not have time to exercise because I am already exhausted in the evening. Some nights I cannot even sleep because my brain is still thinking about the unfinished tasks and worrying about tomorrow's presentation. Even on Sunday, there is a report that I have to process and update to the team. The physiatrist, dermatologist, and psychiatrist are my favorite doctors. My work-life balance is ruined and I cannot re-balance by myself. Accepting the truth that I cannot handle the stress and seeking help from the doctors and colleagues, helps me pass the truma. I now realize the importance of work-life balance and the reason why we work as a team.
I have learned how to work as an adult unlike a student. I learned that I should not sit in front of the computer for too long because my back and eyes will hurt. Physical exercise is necessary otherwise my muscles will be too weak, especially during this work-from-home period. Scheduling a time to rest is essential for a salarywoman like me because I do not want to take medicine for the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I appreciate all the work and projects I have done and experience I have received. I believe that my effort will pay off in the future.
I understand your feeling. A year ago, I worked in a law firm and dedicated more than 70 percent of my waking hours to work. Even when I returned home, my mind was still thinking about my project. It liked a nightmare if numerous projects were running at the same period because I had to manage everything in a short amount of time. Due to this salaryman lifestyle, I had only a few chances to exercise, relax, or sleep, which sometimes contributed to my back pain and headaches.
ReplyDeleteEven if hard-working with a heavy workload has various drawbacks, I feel that the worker will receive a valuable reward. If you work on a well-known project, it will provide you with great experience and a more solid reputation, both of which are essential for your future career path. Working hard will also help you become an expert in your field of employment. In my case, working in the firm offered me various opportunities to attend famous events. It helped me adapt a great deal of knowledge and exchange experience in postgraduate classes. However, if you keep working on a routine assignment that does not support your development, I suppose it is not a good choice. It does not worth risking your health with this hard-working.
I believe that health is the most important factor which all workers should take care of well. Although working in the firm granted me good experience, I receive back pain as another miserable gift. If I can choose, working in a good place for my health condition is better than working hard that gradually ruins my body.
I appreciate your sharing. I have never imagined that working in a law firm is also hard. Actually, I start to realize that in any fields people usually work hard to accomplish their goals. Finding a place with good working atmosphere and challenging work is so ideal, hope we both find one one day.
DeleteI haven't worked yet but I had this feeling before. Last year, I had to take the SAT and IELTS so I studied for both exams at the same time. At that moment, I got a lot of stress and pressure. I can't sleep because I can't stop thinking about the exam. At that time, I talk in my sleep every night. After I'm done with the exam, I stopped talking in my sleep.
ReplyDeleteI have been staying home for 5 months. As a result, I lack exercise. Since I don’t like to exercise, and if I get out of home, I will get a chance to walk or move.
For your question, I think it depends on which work. If the salary is worth how hard the work is, it will lead to the success of having money. Moreover, if the work gives you a valuable experience, you will use that experience to become successful in the future.
I think students nowadays really work hard for preparing for university admission. Personally, the stress I received during the admission is not comparable to the one I feel during working in a company. Working in a company does not have an instruction, I have to figure it out by myself about how to find the data and how to present it. Unlike when I was in the university, if I have any questions I could ask the teachers or my friends and they were willing to answer. I hope you can enjoy the time you have in the university.
DeleteI agreed with Aom. When I studied at university, I thought I really wanted to work for having much money, but after I get a job for a while I know that I really want to study at university again, but I can’t. I feel stressed and have many responsibilities. It’s different from studying at university. However, everyone will grow up and encounter something new in life both good and bad.
DeleteI agreed with Aom. When I studied at university, I thought I really wanted to work for having much money, but after I get a job for a while I know that I really want to study at university again, but I can’t. I feel stressed and have many responsibilities. It’s different from studying at university. However, everyone will grow up and encounter something new in life both good and bad.
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