Long working hours has been linked to premature death.
- So according to The New York Times “the study estimated that working more than 55 hours a week in a paid job resulted in 745,000 deaths in 2016 that is up 590,000 in 2000. The study further showed that around 398,000 of those deaths in 2016 were a result of people having a stroke and 347,000 was due to heart disease.”
- In South Africa the Basic Condition of Employment Act states that the maximum normal working time allowed is 45 hours a week. That equates to 9 hours a day.
- Devan Moonsamy runs the ICHAF Training Institute, and he is the author of Racism, Classism, Sexism, And The Other ISMs That Divide Us, AND My Leadership Legacy Journal available from the ICHAF Training Institute, he says it seems that most employees are working past the required time. Since Covid-19 employees have had to work harder.
- The demand to be present at work has made being absent in the home front a normal thing. But this should not be the case. Work stress needs to be managed. It should not be the reason why your home becomes a second office.
Solution anyone?
- We should start prioritizing tasks. Once we prioritize the importance of tasks, we would be able to deal with the most important things first and then set aside time to address matters that are not as urgent.
- If the workload is becoming too much, feel confident to ask for help. Asking for help should be normalized.
- At the same time if we feel we are unable to do a task we should be able to admit it.
- Keep your stress levels at bay by being upfront and honest with clients when you can’t deliver.
- Don’t allow yourself to be busy after supper time with work emails. As you would clock in at a certain time of the day and clock out at work, do the same at home.
