Workaholics: Can working too hard actually kill you?

During an era where the hustle culture millennials are constantly criticizing lazy gen Zers, there may some science behind the importance work-life balance.

Overworking has been extensively studied and linked to various adverse health effects, ranging from physical ailments to psychological stress. Latest research shows that serious physical, mental, and social effects from working too much can drastically reduce quality of life.

Working more than 55 hours per weeks has been shown to increase chances of having a stroke by 35% and the risk dying from ischemic heart disease by 17% compared to individuals who work normal hours. Over a 16-year period, long working hours led to a 42% increase in heart disease and 19% increase in stroke deaths. Workaholics also have a higher risk of hypertension, diabetes, poor sleep, chronic fatigue, and other serious health issues. Over working also leads to occupational injuries and exacerbates nick, back, and chest pain.

Extended work hours and chronic stress can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, and digestive problems. These conditions are exacerbated by poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity, common among workaholics. The stress and poor health habits contribute to a weakened immune system, making workaholics more susceptible to frequent illnesses and infections. In many Asian countries overwork is even seen as a public health problem. In Japan and China death due to overwork is so common that there is are actual words for it, karoshi in Japanese and guolaosi in Chinese.

For jobs involving physical labor, the impact on physical health is even more significant. Jobs with overtime schedules are associated with a 61% higher injury rate compared to those without overtime. Similarly, working 12 or more hours per day or 60 or more hours per week significantly increases the risk of injuries. Fatigue and sleep deprivation from overtime and night shifts increases the chance of injury by 1.62x. Fatigue due to long working hours is a significant factor in workplace injuries. It reduces energy levels and the mental alertness necessary to perform tasks safely. Employees working evening or night shifts report a higher incidence of injuries, with evening shifts seeing a 20% increase and night shifts a 30% increase in injuries compared to daytime shifts.

The mental health effects of working too much are even worse. Anxiety, depression, and burnout run rampant in organizations known for overworking their employees. Psychological stress caused by these circumstances can also lead to brain fog, high blood pressure, and other mental health problems. Individuals who work long hours often engage in unhealthy behaviors such as poor eating habits, reduced physical activity, and increased substance use, which can further deteriorate their health. Research has consistently shown a significant correlation between work burnout and increased suicide rates across various occupations. This relationship is particularly pronounced in high-stress professions such as healthcare.

Back in 2021, a group of analysts at Goldman Sachs made waves when they released a presentation of a survey taken of fellow employees that exposed the bank’s culture of 100+ hour workweeks, sleep deprivation, and workplace abuse that they felt led to diminishing physical and mental health along with taking a toll on their personal relationships.

Excessive working hours have been directly linked to an increase in substance abuse among employees. Workers logging over 48 hours per week have an 11% higher likelihood of increased alcohol consumption. A significant relationship exists between job stress and smoking status, with higher nicotine dependence observed among workers experiencing greater job stress. Doctors and healthcare professionals, known for high-stress levels, show significant rates of prescription drug misuse, which can include substances like cocaine for stress relief. Many junior employees in finance turn to Adderall, cocaine, and other stimulants to stay awake amidst 100-hour work weeks. Although the prevalence of these drugs has decreased in these settings from their heights in the 80s, it is still an issue amongst many firms.

Workplace burnout is common at many places that praise hustle culture. Burnout not only affects mental and emotional health but can also lead to decreased work performance and personal fulfillment. Overworking can lead to neglect of personal relationships and social activities, which are crucial for mental well-being and stress reduction. Burnout also contributes to divorce and destruction of personal relationships. A significant portion of employees attribute work stress as a primary reason for breakups and divorces, with reports indicating that over 70% of surveyed employees blame job stress for relationship terminations.

Even disregarding the side effects of overworking, productivity levels drop sharply after 49 hours of work per week, making any additional hours less effective. Overworked employees are more likely to make mistakes, less likely to be creative, and produce a lower quality of work. Overworking employees also leads to more turnover which adds financial burdens of hiring and training new staff. The physical and mental impacts of workaholism also increase healthcare costs for the employers and instances of sick leave amongst workers.

Company highlight: MatterMore aims at improving the workplace by transforming how employees are trained at work to drive team performance, well-being, and profitability through personalized upskilling for every manager.

Now I’m not advocating for slacking off, quiet quitting, excessive PTO, or anything like that, but the research is there to support that hustle culture and working yourself to the bone not only can negatively impact your health, but most of the time actually leads to worse performance and outcomes. Assuming you work a typical 9-5 job for on average 43 years, you spend over 12% of your like at work, if we increase that to 80 hours a week you spend almost 25% of your life at work. In light of these stats, we can see how important it is to find balance. Beyond finding balance and setting aside time to tend to personal relationships, hobbies, and non-work-related events, I believe it is crucial for our overall health and wellbeing, given the amount of time spent at work, to find a job you are passionate about doing alongside people you genuinely enjoy.