Science Reveals Working Too Much May Really Drive You Crazy
Thinking of taking a mental health day? That may be wise.
A new study from Australia has found that working too much may have a negative impact on your mental health.
According to MinnPost:
The study, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, found an 'overall workhour-mental health threshold' of 39 hours for women, beyond which mental health declines. For men, the threshold was 47 hours — not because they are mentally stronger, the study’s authors are quick to point out, but because they spend less time doing unpaid domestic work, including child care, in their homes."
So, take heart: you're not lazy. You're just choosing to forego working hard for that promotion so you don't wind up in a room with padded walls.
The study focused on 8,000 Australians between the ages of 24 and 64 as part of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and raises questions about how much time we should spend on the job, especially in light of the fact so many of us can check in with our phones, making it hard to really be off duty.
Dr. Huong Dinh released a statement explaining simply, "Long work hours erode a person's mental and physical health, because it leaves less time to eat well and look after themselves properly."
All we can say is we hope Dinh didn't work too much on this study because it just doesn't sound like it'd be worth it.