At some point in your career, you’ll probably find yourself working overtime. Maybe you need to meet a tight deadline, work has been piling up, or you’re gunning for a promotion? You might even be working long hours simply because you enjoy your job, or you want the extra income.
Whatever reason you’re using to justify working overtime, you should know that putting in a ton of extra hours could actually damage your chances of long-term success. That’s not just in your work life, but in your private life too.
How many times have you complained that you can’t keep up with your personal commitments because of a massive workload? The chaos of day-to-day life means that we rarely have time to sit down and think about how we can become more efficient. But it’s time for that to change.
Working overtime is killing your productivity and work-life balance. So, in actual fact, you’re not achieving anything by staying late every day after work. In fact, you could be doing yourself more harm than good by putting in overtime. That includes damage to your health and mental wellbeing! If you needed any more reasons to stop working overtime, then be sure to read on.
1. It Doesn’t Always Impress Your Boss
One of the reasons why you’re working overtime might be that you want to impress your boss. Understandably, you think that you’re proving your dedication to your job by being the last person left in the office in the evening. Indeed, they might be proud of your extra graft.
However, there’s several flaws with this plan. For one, your boss may be so preoccupied with their own busy schedule that they don’t really notice the extra work you’re putting in. They may even pass more work onto you as you seem like you can handle it. Then, the next thing you know, you’re working overtime every day and are stressed beyond belief.
Worst of all is the boss who doesn’t appreciate your effort. Or, one that tells you that you need to prioritize your time better if you’re staying late every day – the cheek! Ask yourself whether it’s worth the risk of under-appreciation and exhaustion before knuckling down for another few hours after your shift finishes.
2. You’re More Likely to Make Mistakes
Another problem with working overtime is that it’s not the best way to improve your efficiency or even accomplish more. It may feel like you’re increasing your productivity, but are you finding that you constantly need to go back and correct mistakes? Is the quality of your output decreasing?
As tiredness creeps in from the constant late nights and early starts, your focus will gradually drain. With this, you’re more likely to let your standards drop and produce work that you wouldn’t normally be satisfied with.
With this in mind, consider taking short and regular breaks to rest rather than putting in long, unnecessary hours at work. Set yourself a stopping point and don’t restart until your batteries are recharged. Not only this, schedule in regular coffee breaks or walks throughout the day to refocus your mind.
3. You’ll Miss Out on Life
Work-life balance isn’t something to turn your nose up at. Sure, at certain points in your life, work needs to take precedence. But, if this is becoming a regular pattern, you need to reconsider your priorities. Without evenings and weekends to look forward to, your motivation can quickly drop.
Of course, more money and excelling in your career are also great drivers. But are they worth neglecting your friends and family for? What’s more, working overtime also depletes your energy levels. After returning to your loved ones after a long working day, are you actually giving them your full attention?
In fact, did you know that couples who are more financially successful have a higher chance of divorcing. This is mostly due to being apart for prolonged periods, and working the long hours that a demanding job requires. Yet, relationships take work too; and long-term neglect can lead to serious and irreparable issues.
4. Your Health Will Suffer
You’re breaking your back to earn a few more bucks, but have you got the time and energy to enjoy your hard-earned cash? Working an excessive number of hours is proven to impair your sleep and increase your chances of developing heart problems. Not to mention a greater chance of increasing your alcohol and tobacco use.
Moreover, a regular lack of sleep will throw your whole body off-kilter and you won’t be able to perform at your best. Sleep deprivation leads to a whole host of health issues that you’ll want to avoid, such as obesity and mood disorders.
Especially if you work in a dangerous environment, such as a building site. After all, you’re increasing the risk of serious injury by ignoring your wellbeing. No amount of overtime is worth the damage that you can end up causing yourself.
5. It Could Have the Reverse Effect
Often, we work overtime to shine in our jobs and prove what a great employee we are. Unfortunately, the world of work doesn’t always give you the appreciation that you deserve. People are more likely to notice when you slip up than when you excel at your job.
In your first few months on the job, when you’re eager to impress, or when you’ve got a big project to complete, you’re the first one in and the last one to leave. After a while, you inevitably suffer from burnout or no longer need to work these hours, and so you cut back.
While this is perfectly reasonable, to everybody around you it might seems like you’ve lost your mojo. Even worse, it can appear that you’re slacking off. People forget the great work you did and ignore that your productivity hasn’t changed. It’s a lose-lose situation!
How to Stop Working Overtime
Nothing will change unless you adjust your attitude. As we’ve demonstrated, becoming the office martyr and putting in overtime isn’t necessarily the answer to all your problems. Your wellbeing and your work-life balance should always be important, and a priority for you to consider.
So you know what you need to do. Start saying ‘no’ more, embrace your downtime after work, and delegate your extra workload where possible. The next time you’re tempted to accept overtime hours, remember that your job shouldn’t come at the cost of your health and happiness!
