Is working 55 hours a week too much?
Research tells us that productivity falls sharply after 50 hours per week, and drops off a cliff after 55 hours. Additionally, not taking at least one full day off per week leads to lower hourly output overall. Research also reveals the damage to our physical health that overwork can cause.
Even the 60-hour workweek, once the path to the top, is now practically considered part-time, as a recent Fortune magazine article put it. Our data reveal that 62% of high-earning individuals work more than 50 hours a week, 35% work more than 60 hours a week, and 10% work more than 80 hours a week.
- Take short breaks throughout the workday. ...
- Communicate with your direct superior when you need a break. ...
- Advocate for one to two days off per week. ...
- Negotiate with your employer about a flexible work schedule. ...
- Dedicate specific times to exercise throughout the week.
The Health Risks of Working Too Much
Researchers claim that there is a 60 percent increase in risk of cardiovascular diseases if you work more than 10 hours per day. That means that over 50 hours of work will cause heart issues. Working more than a 40-hour workweek consistently can lead to mental health issues.
A study from the World Health Organization (WHO) found that working an average of 55 hours or more each week increases your risk of stroke by 35 percent and your risk of dying from heart disease by 17 percent, compared to averaging a 35-40 hour workweek.
In 2016, 488 million people worldwide were exposed to long working hours of more than 55 hours a week, the WHO and ILO estimated.
According to a NIH study on anxiety and long working hours, working over 34 hours per week, 55 hours per week, and 48 hours per week increased the risk of depression and anxiety.
This explains why long working hours have one of the most damaging effects on mental well-being. People who work more than 60 hours a week experience higher stress, anxiety, and depression. And this incidence is higher in female workers compared to male workers who work the same number of hours.
According to a 2019 Gallup Poll, 52 percent of full-time workers report working more than 40 hours a week; 39 percent work at least 50 hours a week, and 18 percent work at least 60.
A full-time employee in the United States works 1,892 hours per year, or 36.4 hours per week, which is slightly more than other OECD countries.
When was it common for employees to have 60 hour work weeks?
It shows that workers in manufacturing worked 60 to 90 hours per week in the 19th century, compared to around 40 hours today. This is a reduction of 20-50 hours, that is, 50-125% of today's average working week.
However, productivity has a plateau; working longer hours doesn't necessarily mean you are getting more done. In fact, productivity per hour falls after a person works more than 50 hours a week. This means that working long hours could not only harm you but your company as well.
That includes working excessively. Too much work can be damaging to your mental and physical health. You're more likely to suffer from adverse health problems, including neck, back, or chest pain, stroke, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and anxiety.
Burnout can lead to a range of physical health problems. Employees might experience poor sleep and increased chance of stroke. The mental health risks are no better, with a greater chance for depression, anxiety and even suicide.
Overworking increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, as well as affecting mental health. Physical and mental strain of the overworked people can start from acute physiological responses such as fatigue, stress, impaired sleep, and unhealthy lifestyle changes in response to the stress.
$55 hourly is how much per year? If you make $55 per hour, your Yearly salary would be $114,400.
If you work 100 hours per week, you'll have about 68 hours for non-work activities. This amounts to a little more than 9,5 hours of free time per day. Working 100 hours a week means you will be able to sleep about 6 hours every day and spend the rest of your time engaged in meals, hobbies, socializing, etc.
Your risk of dying from a stroke or heart attack goes up.
Working 55 hours or more a week was associated with a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease, compared with working 35 to 40 hours a week.
$55 hourly is how much per week? If you make $55 per hour, your Weekly salary would be $2,200. This result is obtained by multiplying your base salary by the amount of hours, week, and months you work in a year, assuming you work 40 hours a week.
However, scientists generally agree that the ideal working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning. Employees take advantage of their most productive hours and focus on other daily activities including social, sporting, and cultural.
How do I know if I'm being overworked?
Experiencing mental and physical effects
Overworked employees can experience mental and physical effects. Mentally, you might lack energy and find it challenging to focus on important tasks. Stress and overexertion can also lead to sore muscles, headaches and chest pain.
On the other hand, an employee can work a little more than 40 hours per week and be a workaholic due to their inability to stop thinking about work long after clocking out. Finally, some research even suggests that workaholic tendencies may lead to diabetes and heart disease.
Brain fog occurs when the brain is overworked or under strain. The most common symptoms are feeling dazed and confused, headaches, thinking more slowly than usual, an inability to remember things or even tasks just completed, mental fatigue, and mood swings.
For adult employees, there is no legal limit to the number of hours that one can work per week, but the Fair Labor Standards Act dictates standards for overtime pay in both the private and public sector.
- Take breaks. While it's important to stay focused on your job, it's equally important to take regular breaks from it. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Prioritize tasks. ...
- Review your goals. ...
- Exercise regularly. ...
- Keep one full day work-free.
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