Is Overtime Work Worth It?


Woman Working OvertimeOvertime work is a pretty widespread occurrence. Some stay at work for a longer time, some take their work home and spend those precious hours not on family, domestic chores or rest, but on work. But is it worth? Is the money you receive for it worth the time you spend and your health, that may get worse because of overtime work? Let’s find out, what effect overtime work has on one’s health.

According to the results of a new research, working overtime hardly proves its value, as it significantly increases the risk of anxiety and depression. Thus, men working more than 40 hours a week can develop anxiety and depression in 12,5% of cases.

Working overtime also affects women’s health. When women work in conditions similar to the described above, the risk for them to develop the same problems increases up to 11%, as scientists claim.

Even an insignificant increase in the duration of the working day may upset the psychological balance.

It has to be mentioned, that the reason of this effect of overtime working is still unclear.

As for me, I think, that if one really likes their job and enjoys it, it never leads to depression, or, maybe, only if the things are too bad. But in this case the process of working itself is a stress, so even if one doesn’t work overtime, they are still anxious or even depressed.