How to Recognize if You’re Being Overworked

Overworking can be described as working beyond your capacity and more than your regular working hours.

We tend to overwork for various reasons:

• We have a lot on our plate at the moment,
• We have a deadline that’s approaching soon, and 
• We want to demonstrate our enthusiasm.

No matter our reasons, we have to find a way to deal with overwork and make sure it doesn’t affect the quality of our life and work too much. 

In this blog post, we will:

• Explain the definition of overwork and how it differs from burnout,
• List and explain the main symptoms of being overworked,
• Learn how overwork affects our everyday life, health, and work, and
• Go through some practical tips for reducing stress caused by overwork.

What is overwork? What does it mean to be overworked?

“It takes wisdom to gain wealth without losing health.”

—  Mokokoma Mokhonoana

According to a SpringerLink study — Why Do People Overwork at the Risk of Impairing Mental Health? — the definition of overwork sounds “a state in which workers allocate long hours to work, leading to detrimental impacts on their mental health.” I’m sure you know what it’s about — you’ve probably experienced it at some point in your career or met someone who has. 

If we’re striving for excellence at the workplace, be it a promotion, a better reputation, or any other reason, it’s only natural that we’ll have to overwork and commit to overtime from time to time.

You might sometimes stay late to finish an important project, but once you make it into a habit, you’ve already become hostage to overwork.

Let’s see how we can recognize overwork.

How many hours is considered overworking?

According to a study about long working hours and its consequences, the World Health Organization found a correlation between 745,000 cases of illnesses and deaths being directly related to overworking.

In the same study, they concluded that workers in question worked at least 55 hours per week, which amounts to 11 hours per day if the work week consisted of 5 work days, or 9.16 hours per day if the work week consisted of 6 work days.

In recent years, however, 55 hours per week has become something close to a standard, and individuals working at high-risk positions have even started logging 60+ hours per week, distributed per every day of the week.

Furthermore, the WHO’s Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health notes that working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard and that employers should address overtime symptoms seriously.

The difference between overwork and burnout

Although similar, overwork and burnout aren’t the same. 

Overwork refers to the act of working too hard or too much. But burnout goes a step further. 

Back in 1974, German-American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger invented the term “burnout” and defined it as “the physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.”

In 2000, the World Health Organization listed burnout in its publication Mental health and work: Impact, issues, and good practices — they filed burnout as one of the causes of mental health problems in the workplace. And things can get even worse with burnout.

“Karoshi” — death by overwork 

In Japan, there’s even the phrase “karoshi” — “death by overwork.” 

The first case of this condition was reported in 1969. This phenomenon has soon become a social problem not just in Japan but also in China, South Korea, and Bangladesh. 

The number of unfortunate events in Japan has increased since 1969. Thus, the Japanese Ministry of Labor started publishing the first statistics about the karoshi issue in 1987.

The International Labor Organization noted the following as the most common causes of karoshi:

• Mr. A worked in the leading snack food processing company for 110 hours a week. The cause of death — a heart attack at the age of 34.
• Mr. B was a bus driver who worked more than 3,000 hours a year. The cause of death — a stroke and the age of 37. It’s important to point out that he didn’t have a day off in the 15 days before the stroke.
• Mr. C was an employee of a large printing company in Tokyo. He has worked for 4,320 hours a year (including night work). The cause of death — a stroke at the age of 58.

But, the work culture in Japan is changing. 

In 2017, the Japanese government published a white paper (a government report) on overwork and karoshi. The purpose of this document — all industries should endorse more effective measures to reduce deaths.

Additionally, the Japanese health ministry has presented the “karoshi line” concept. They have defined a level of overwork which increases the risk of a potentially fatal illness if exceeded.

What causes overwork?

Even though the cause of overworking can be completely individual, WHO and Mayo Clinic Florida reports on overworking have found common ground on certain causes of overworking reported by many employees and employers, such as:

• Perfectionism,
• Unreal expectations,
• “Grind” culture, and
• Work addiction.

Let’s talk more about the individual causes and its examples down below.

Cause #1: Perfectionism

Multiple sources, including an article in Harvard Business Review, show a correlation between perfectionism and fear of failure/deep-rooted insecurities.

Namely, individuals who seek perfection in both private and professional spheres of life find comfort in taking care of every single detail. In return, they “satisfy” their insecurities, similarly to OCD patients.

The obsessive nature of working late is reflected in compulsive behaviors, such as:

• Checking their work multiple times,
• Scraping projects and starting over, and
• Stressing over small mistakes.

Of course, this is not a claim that perfectionists have OCD, but the tendencies in both cases are similar and should not be disregarded.

Cause #2: Unreal expectations

From one end of the spectrum to the other, many employees have noted that unreal expectations from bosses and managers have caused them to stay late and way beyond their working hours for the day.

This, again, leads to stress and fear of losing wages or even their job, which in turn can play a role in developing physical symptoms, such as:

• Stress headaches,
• Nausea,
• Fatigues,
• Anxiety, and
• Insomnia.

Cause #3: “Grind” culture

In recent years, grind culture has become all the rage.

In basic terms, grind culture dictates that “raw” progression that leads to financial security and stability is the most efficient way to do business. Suffice to say working long hours in environments that support grind cultures is no longer a question but a standardized way of doing things.

Motivated by money, most employees willingly enter such environments that have often been described as “cults,” so to speak. 

Cause #4: Work addiction

Lastly, work addiction is a term that has been around for quite some time but still affects many people across the globe.

Whether it’s due to passion, financial motivations, or professional progression — many experience real mental and physical symptoms of work addiction.

Furthermore, a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine found that employees with strong job demands are at higher risk of work addiction. Namely, the study has shown that there were 5 times more workers with a high risk of work addiction employed at jobs with strong demands than those with low-demanding positions.

All in all, a conclusion could be drawn that it’s not always worth it to chase high-rewarding jobs if it poses a risk to your mental and physical health.

What are the signs of being overworked?

Additional working hours and spending too much time at the office can make you feel overwhelmed. Besides tiredness, you’ll feel effects on your physical and mental health when working overtime.

That’s why you should be able to recognize the most common examples of overwork, which are:

• Fatigue,
• Lack of sleep,
• Feeling distracted,
• Weakened immune system,
• Bad mood,
• Weight fluctuations, and
• Poor work-life balance. 

Let’s explore each sign thoroughly. 

Sign #1: Fatigue

Fatigue refers to an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. 

When we say fatigue, we don’t refer to feeling drowsy or sleepy. Fatigue, by default, includes a lack of motivation and energy — it prevents you from doing quality work and being productive, among other things.  

Working extra hours during the week will often leave you feeling fatigued and exhausted.

Tips for dealing with fatigue

Here is what you can do to handle fatigue more effectively:

• Try to isolate your work from your personal life,
• Think about your priorities and organize your tasks accordingly — do the most important assignments first and leave the less important ones tomorrow,
• Try to analyze how much time you need for each task by using the work hours tracker. When it comes to those more time-consuming tasks – do them in the morning, when you’re fresh,
• When you’re having a day off, let your work be off, too. Don’t check your emails either,
• Eat smaller but more frequent meals during the day,
• Drink enough water and reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake, and 
• Take a walk or exercise. 

Sign #2: Lack of sleep 

It’s late at night, and you’re trying to finish the final part of your assignment. Even though you’re tired, you choose not to sleep. And there you are, making another cup of coffee to keep you awake.

Sounds familiar?

If yes, you might be having trouble with sleep deprivation. In fact, about 35% of all adults in the US report sleeping less than 7 hours per night.

Overwork is a notorious sleep disruptor, but there are ways to contain it. 

Tips for dealing with lack of sleep

Some of the following tips can help you sleep better in the long run: 

• Try meditating or doing some yoga,
• Have a cup of warm tea. You can choose between chamomile, lavender, rooibos red, passionflower, mint tea, or any similar,
• Avoid large meals two hours before going to bed, and 
• Rethink your decision to stay awake. Consider going to bed, but set your alarm for a bit earlier in the morning than usual. 

Sign #3: Feeling distracted 

When you feel overworked, you find it difficult to focus, and start forgetting even the smallest things like names and dates. This happens when you have a lot on your plate on a daily basis, so your brain has to process more data. 

As a result, you feel distracted and aren’t able to focus.

Tips for improving focus when feeling distracted

You can improve your focus with these handy tips: 

• This one is an oldie but goldie — you need to get a good night’s sleep (at least 7 hours of sleep),
• Play smart and set a SMART goal — break down one complex project into several smaller, manageable ones, 
• Start writing down everything that’s important — a to-do list, a meeting schedule, a shopping list, etc.,
• Set a timer whenever you need a reminder for an important meeting. For example, 30 minutes before the meeting so that you can prepare,
• Find a suitable time management technique, and 
• Group similar tasks so you can finish them quicker and easier. 

Sign #4: Weakened immune system

Anxiety, headaches, chest pains, stomach issues — all can be tied to having a stressful, overwhelmed lifestyle. Stress can also weaken your immune system, which means that your body won’t be able to defend itself from sickness.

Tips for boosting your immune system

You can try to boost your immune system by: 

• Taking a break whenever you can and getting as much sleep as you can,
• Recognizing and minimizing stressors in your life and at work, 
• Trying to incorporate more vitamins into your daily diet — choose citrus fruits, almonds, and other immune system boosters,
• Steering clear from alcohol and coffee and hydrating regularly, 
• Maintaining a diverse and balanced diet, and 
• Taking supplements if necessary. 

Sign #5: Bad mood

If you often work late hours, you will also feel more under pressure and anxious. Overwork can truly influence your mood, and not in a good way.

Tips for improving your mood

Even when you’re passionate about your job, be sure to have some time to unwind. There are ways to help you better cope with stressful situations and boost your mood instantly: 

• Have a cup of coffee with your friends/family or go to the movies,
• Have a quick clean-up! Tidying up your workspace can help you feel more in control and less stressed about little things,
• Listen to some soothing/energizing music, 
• Eat something sweet, and 
• Have a sniff of your favorite perfume! Certain scents are known to affect our mood positively. Lemon, for example, can help you calm and clarify your thoughts, cinnamon fights off mental fatigue, and peppermint is an energy booster. 

Sign #6: Weight fluctuations 

Did you skip your meal because you didn’t have time to eat? 

Or maybe you’ve ordered some junk food for the fifth time this week? Whichever the case, these bad eating habits can surely affect your weight and overall health.

Tips for maintaining a healthy diet

A hectic lifestyle makes it hard to have a balanced diet. 

But, with a few tweaks here and there, you can ensure you’ll make healthier choices and keep your diet as healthy as possible: 

• In the evening, find some time to prepare at least one healthy meal for tomorrow — either breakfast or lunch, 
• Be sure to add some fruit to your diet, 
• Try to avoid or at least limit your fast food intake,
• Always make sure to squeeze in a 15-20 minute lunch break into your schedule, and
• Make sure to always have a candy bar, some fruit, or crackers in case of low blood sugar. 

Sign #7: Poor work-life balance 

You’re working late almost every day, and your social life is starting to fade. Spending some time with your loved ones seems impossible because of your work.

Tips for improving your work-life balance

Your social life is as important as your work. Limiting your work hours and spending more time socializing will make you less stressed and more productive. Consider the following: 

• Whenever possible, try seeing your friends in person, 
• If meeting your friends isn’t an option, remember to call and text them regularly, and
• Don’t check your phone for emails when hanging out with friends — give them your undivided attention. 

How to stop overworking

If you find your way to cope with stress and burnout, you’re more likely to avoid developing previously mentioned medical conditions.

Here are a few ways to help you unwind.

Step #1: Make a precise schedule 

Since you can’t possibly benefit from working long hours, one of the best methods to avoid overwork and burnout is making a precise schedule. 

Each workday should start by writing down a to-do list. Think about your tasks for the day:

• Which ones are more or less important?
• How much time do you need for each task?

Then, make your list. Be sure to find some time for your breaks, too. If you organize your entire workday properly, you might be able to avoid staying late.

Here is an example of a to-do list that includes both your assignments and your breaks.

Step #2: Exercise

Many studies have demonstrated that if you exercise regularly, you’ll be more resistant to stress. 

According to the Exercise, Stress Resistance, and Central Serotonergic Systems research, physical activity enhances how our bodies handle stress. Also, exercise impacts neurotransmitters in the brain – dopamine and serotonin — hormones responsible for our happiness.

Going to the gym, running, or just taking a walk after work will surely help you have a stress-free life.

Step #3: Take a nap

Didn’t sleep well last night? Or maybe you slept only 4-5 hours? It seems like your job has once again ruined your sleeping routine.

Whenever you’re feeling tired in the afternoon, take a nap. For example, sleeping from 10 to 20 minutes, known as a power nap, makes an excellent power booster. It will also raise your energy levels and help with your creativity.

Step #4: Invest in your “me time”

Working extra hours leaves you with almost no time to think about your overall mental health. Taking care of your body, mind, and soul is crucial to prevent burnout. 

According to Joanna K Chodorowska, an intuitive nutrition therapy coach, self-care plays a vital role in preventing overworking:

“Self-care is the solution for the body, the mind, and soul. We have to eat better, move better and sleep better so we can feel better. 

We have to think about ourselves as worthy of self-care as we do need to put our own oxygen masks on. 

Self-care is not selfish, it is a necessity which is usually mandated by these health crises from stress, overwhelm and over-tired.”

Step #5: Socialize

The moments we spend with our family and friends are precious. This is crucial, especially when we’re trying to manage working extra hours. 

In line with that, a personal trainer and nutrition advisor, Amanda Jayne O’Hare, believes that family time and “me time” are essential to staying productive:

“Often we get rid of time with family or friends feeling we are doing ‘what needs to be done’, when in reality we are making ourselves miserable and less productive as a result. 

Therapy, having designated family and “me time” scheduled in as a priority, and looking after physical and mental wellbeing are all brilliant ways of helping this.”

Step #6: Track your work hours

If you have the habit of accidentally slipping into overtime because you’ve reached “the zone,” your best bet is to track your overtime hours.

The moment you hit those 8 hours for the day, start working overtime (if you’re allowed or mandated) with a mindful attitude. And keep tracking time for a multitude of reasons. 

Taking note of what tasks you did during that time, how long your overtime lasted, and when you clocked out would give your employer a better understanding of where your time goes. What’s more, together you can find ways to mitigate the amount of overtime or off-work hours, so there is no legal issue for either of you.

How does overwork affect physical and mental health?

In their publication Overtime and Extended Work Shifts: Recent Findings on Illnesses, Injuries, and Health Behaviors, the US Department of Health and Human Services summed up scientific findings on the relationship between overtime and worker health and safety. 

There were 22 studies in total. Among these 22, in exactly 16 studies, overtime was linked with “poorer perceived general health, increased injury rates, more illnesses, or increased mortality.”

Various scientific studies list these physical and mental health issues as the most common consequences of overwork: 

• Sleep deprivation,
• Coronary heart disease,
• Type 2 diabetes, and
• Depression and anxiety.

In the following lines, we’ll explore overworking effects on both mental and physical health. 

Overworking effects on mental health

Here are the two most common effects of overworking to your mental health.

Effect #1: Overwork may cause sleep deprivation

According to a study on the neurocognitive consequences of sleep deprivation, the lack of sleep impacts many types of work performance. 

For instance, sleep deprivation decreases the ability to concentrate and delays reaction time. When it’s taken one step further and connected to burnout, more problems arise.

The study on sleep and biological parameters in professional burnout made a comparison between 54 participants with burnout and 86 healthy control participants. One of the fields of their research was the quality of sleep.

The result: Overwhelmed people had much deeper insomnia troubles, in total – 41 (75.9%) out of 54 people. On the other hand, only 11 people (12.8%) out of 86 healthy control participants experienced sleep deprivation.

Effect #2: Overwork may cause depression and anxiety 

The National Library of Medicine’s study on the effect of long working hours has found a link between depression and long working hours. 

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. 

For example, one study by Ogawa et al. examined the effects of long working hours on depression symptoms in Japanese residents. When compared with the residents working less than 60 hours per week, those working 80 to 99.9 hours per week and more than 99.9 hours per week were 2.83 and 6.96, respectively, more likely to experience depression. 

In contrast, other studies have discovered that working 41 to 50+ hours per week and 41 to 52 hours per week was linked to a decreased risk of depression and anxiety.

Moreover, one study related to long working hours and health has revealed that female employees are at a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety than male workers when working the same number of hours. 

Overworking effects on physical health

Here are the two most common effects of overworking to your physical health.

Effect #1: Overwork may cause coronary heart diseases

The research about overtime work and incident coronary heart disease reported that “overtime work adversely affects coronary health.”

This study included 6,014 middle-aged British civil servants (4,262 men and 1,752 women) who were free from coronary heart disease (CHD). The majority of the participants (54%) did not work overtime. 

These are the stats for those who did have overtime:

• 21% of them worked approximately one extra hour a day,
• 15% of them worked two extra hours a day, and
• 10% of them worked three or four extra hours a day.

The result: Research related to overtime and heart issues demonstrated that people who worked 3-4 extra hours per day had a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems than the participants who didn’t work overtime.

Effect #2: Overwork may cause Type 2 diabetes

The research about the correlation between long working hours and type 2 diabetes analyzed 222,120 men and women from the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia. A total number of 4,963 individuals developed diabetes.

The result: This analysis showed a connection between longer working hours (55 hours or more per week) and type 2 diabetes, but only in people from low socioeconomic status groups.

The effects of overworking on mental and physical health — real-life experience 

People who work more than 55 hours a week are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke — and these are only two of many consequences of overwork. Lynell Ross, the Resource Director at Test Prep Insight shared her story on how overworking had extremely bad effect on her mental and physical health:

“This stress from work caused a number of serious health issues for me, including high blood pressure, migraines, mild insomnia, and ulcers. 

I was so focused on my work and getting ahead in my career that I made no effort to manage my stress or discuss the situation with my boss – I just powered through.” 

Ultimately, the stress caught up with Lynell and she hit a breaking point:

“I would deal with these stress symptoms on an ad hoc basis as they arose and never addressed the underlying causes until it all became too much and I quit to pursue my new career and website.”  

We all learn from our mistakes. Now and then, we need to remind ourselves that health comes first, then our career — not vice versa.

To make you rethink your work habits, we’ll share with you some of the typical health issues associated with overworking.

How does overwork affect productivity and quality of work?

Have you ever asked yourself: “Will these extra working hours impact my productivity and the overall quality of work?”

There are many studies on the correlation between overworking and productivity. Let’s take a look at some of them and see how overwork affects our productivity and quality of work. 

Overwork decreases productivity 

A Stanford study that delved into the relationship between hours worked and productivity reported that overwork leads to decreased efficiency and productive output.

As stated in this research, our productivity during the 60 hours workweek would be less than two-thirds compared to our output during the 40 hours workweek. 

In other words, our productivity is higher when we’re working our regular 40 hours workweek. Moreover, our output will only decline during these extra hours at work.

Overwork leads to reduced output 

Let’s take a look at the research by the Business Roundtable in the 1980s. 

The focus of this study was the impact of scheduled overtime on construction projects. 

According to the results of this research, working 60 or 70 hours per week for a short time (for a few weeks) can be beneficial for you and your team. For example, this could happen when you’re about to approach a project deadline.

However, if you continue the 60 to 70-hour work schedule for longer than two months, productivity will only continue to decrease. 

Here’s why: when you work more than 8 hours per shift, your output will be reduced due to fatigue. During your first extra hour (hour 9), you’ll start feeling exhausted, and during 10 of 12 hours of work your tiredness will reach its peak.

Furthermore, Erin Reid, a professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business conducted a study to determine whether overwork actually boosts productivity or not. Two sets of participants were selected — one who worked 80 hours per week and the other than just pretended to.

Their respective managers were asked to determine who belonged to what group and the results were inconclusive. In fact, many could not tell the accomplishments of any individuals during the test week.

Overwork increases the chances of human error

Another interesting case was the Challenger shuttle space mission. 

This mission was significant for two reasons:

• It represented the first spacewalk of the space shuttle program, and
• It was the first mission to carry two US female astronauts.

Unfortunately, this space program ended as a disaster on January 28, 1986. Just 73 seconds after the liftoff, the shuttle exploded and its crew of seven astronauts lost their lives. 

The cause of the accident was “a failure in the joint between the two lower segments of the right Solid Rocket Motor.”

One part of the investigation involved the Human Factors Analysis. The goal was to examine the safety consequences of work schedules before and during the launch of the Challenger. 

This study demonstrated that there is a frequent pattern at Kennedy Space Center for merging weeks of working 11–12 hours per day in sequence.

Still, the commission pointed out that “launch site activities, including assembly and preparation, were not a factor in the Challenger accident.” 

So, the fatigue factor wasn’t the cause of this accident.

But, the fact that they dedicated a significant part of the investigation to Human Factors Analysis’ tells us a lot. 

Our overall productivity, often disrupted by overworking, plays an important part in getting successful work done.

How do you let your boss know you are overworked?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Is your manager giving you more work than you’re capable of? If so, you should tell your boss that you’re exhausted. 

Before making this move, think about your strategy. Communication is crucial here. Be sure that you have every right to do this, just find the proper way to reach out to your manager.

Consider the following steps for planning your actions.

Step #1: Think about your role at the company

Your position at the company requires certain skills and a determined amount of work. Ask yourself the following:

• Is the current workload acceptable for your role?
• How often are you supposed to work a bit harder because your role dictates you to?

Depending on your answers, you might need to try to find your way to cope with overwork. In this case, you shouldn’t let your manager know you’re overwhelmed as it would seem that you’re not qualified for this job. 

Also, try to find ways to automate certain processes and routine tasks that would normally take your forever to finish.

For example, investing in a clean and intuitive project management software, such as Plaky, will do wonders for your organization and time management.

Step #2: Try to be empathetic

Your managers have a lot on their plate, just like you. It’s essential you understand that. So, how do they deal with it? 

By making priorities. That’s why you have to point out that you share the same goals and work toward the same end — striving toward success.

Be sure to state the following:

• You know that you should be more efficient with certain tasks and that you could prioritize them, but 
• You feel overwhelmed.

Once your manager realizes that you have mutual goals and that you’re dedicated to your work, they would be willing to help you.

Step #3: Share your list of priorities with your boss

The best way to show your boss that you’re exhausted is by making a list of all your current tasks and sharing the list with your boss. 

Let your managers know that you’re already dealing with many assignments. Maybe they simply forgot that you’re managing many tasks at the moment. That way, your boss will be more rational when delegating work.

If you have to deal with a lot of tasks during the day, you should consider using a time tracking app such as Clockify. 

It can provide you with features like a:

• Time tracker, 
• Timesheets,
• Reporting dashboard, and 
• Tracking project expenses.

Clockify also offers a variety of different plans you can choose from, depending on your specific need.

Step #4: Propose a pragmatic solution

Now that your manager knows how much work you have at the moment, it’s time to start negotiating.

Here’s what you can do:

• Figure out which tasks are the least critical on your list of priorities, and
• Ask your boss to postpone the deadline for these tasks or to reassign the task at hand to a colleague, if possible.

Your boss might have a different approach and might modify your list of preferences. But that’s fine, as long as your managers agree on delaying some of your assignments.

Expert advice for reducing overwork 

To help you cope with overwork and take steps to reduce it, we reached out to several experts on the matter. Here’s what they advise. 

Tip #1: Make time for yourself

The first expert we consulted was Danni Zhang, a registered psychologist at New Vision Psychology and a member of the Australian Psychological Society. 

She believes that when people do not allow enough time for their mind and body to rest, psychological symptoms of overworking begin to present themselves:

“Psychological symptoms that lead to overworking can include: poor sleep, tension headaches, reduced concentration, fatigue, becoming frustrated easier, and feeling stuck.

Moreover, Zhang adds that people who are overworked are more prone to develop anxiety and depressive disorder, as they are not looking after their psychological and physical needs.

“These everyday behaviors [needs] include: 

• Neglecting social and family relationships, 
• Lack of exercise, 
• Adopting a poor diet, 
• Not getting appropriate sleep, and 
• General self-care.”

Danni advises people to try to reduce workload:

“Evaluate the workplace and your work environment to see if there is room to reduce workload or extend deadlines. Work with management to adjust the responsibilities of your job.”

According to Danni, when people feel overwhelmed outside the workplace, they should prioritize their off-hours activities: 

“Create a list of areas that are important to you aside from work and make a schedule/time for what’s important (e.g., “make time for a 15-minute walk when I wake up every single day”). Set yourself an alarm or reminder each day at a specific time to put work aside and remember to not engage in work until the following day.

Danni concludes it’s vital to make time to look after your basic needs such as sleep, diet, exercise, and relationships (i.e., spending time face-to-face to talk to each other, and listening).

Tip #2: Set clear boundaries

Another expert on the matter is Michael Hilgers, a therapist in private practice in Austin, Texas. As Michael points out, overworking is probably the biggest contributor to burnout.

A lot of his clients are dealing with this issue, and he usually advises them to set boundaries first:

“To avoid burnout, it is important to set clear boundaries:

• By saying “no” to some demands,
• Delegate work that is less enjoyable,
• Take time off, and
• Pursue other interests outside of work, preferably things that force the brain to work in a different way.

It may seem counterintuitive but in the long run, you will likely be more productive by taking care of yourself and working less.”

Bonus statistics: Most overworked countries and cities around the world

In their report on work-life balance, Kisi, an industry-led technology company, examined cities with the best work-life balance.   

This study was divided into three categories:

• Work intensity,
• Society and institutions, and
• City livability.

Within these three categories, the study analyzed a total of 18 factors that contribute to work-life balance during and after the pandemic:

All data from the study was normalized to a 50–100 scale — with 100 being the best score. 

In other words, the higher the score, the better the city ranked for the factor in question. 

The results revealed that the top 5 cities with the best work-life balance are: 

• Helsinki, 
• Oslo, 
• Zurich, 
• Stockholm, and 
• Copenhagen.

The results also showed that the top 5 overworked cities are: 

• Hong Kong, 
• Singapore, 
• Bangkok, 
• Buenos Aires, and 
• Seoul. 

Take some time off — with Clockify

Perhaps it’s time to rest and recharge? 

Yes, that’s often the best antidote to your overwork.

With team time tracking software like Clockify, you can request time off and wait for your boss to approve it in a jiffy.

Here’s how it works:

• Go to the Time off tab,
• Click on Requests,
• Select Time off in the top right corner, and
• Insert information, like the number of days (or hours), etc.

Now you wait for your boss to approve your vacation days, sick leave, or other types of absence.

Anyway, as soon as your time off is approved, this is how it’s going to show up in your team’s Timeline section:

Full transparency of your team’s time off can help everyone else plan and schedule their workload better.

Don’t get us wrong — work is important, sure. 

But you need to prioritize your well-being to show up better at work. 

Discover the power of structured time off to combat overwork. Request your vacation days with confidence.