In an ideal world, your job would offer nothing but positives. Alas, this is very far from being an ideal world. Even people who love their jobs often find that there’s at least something that they don’t like.
It’s also true that many employees don’t fully understand some of the negative side effects that their work could be inflicting upon them, especially for issues that take longer to present themselves, like the effects of sitting down all day.
A little bit of understanding about how your work could be impacting your well-being can go a long way towards keeping them at bay. In this post, we’ll outline some of the primary — and often overlooked — factors to be aware of.
High Stress Levels
It’s almost inevitable that you’ll feel work-related stress at some point or another, and it’s also true that small amounts of stress can be a good thing. However, excessive and prolonged stress levels can be damaging, increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, and burnout, and long-term diseases like heart disease.
Speaking to your employers about workloads or other factors that might be causing your stress levels to rise is a recommended first step. Most employers will be happy to accommodate, and if they’re not, then that could be a sign that it’s time to seek new employment.
Unsafe Workplaces
All workplaces can cause accidents, and it’s the responsibility of the employer to proactively mitigate those threats and create a safe working environment. However, that doesn’t always happen. At best, workplace accidents function as a warning sign; at worst, they cause severe injuries, accident at work claim experts are involved, and it takes a long time to recover. It’s important to assess how seriously your employers take safety; if it feels like an afterthought, then it will likely be better to find a new employer rather than run the risk of becoming a workplace accident statistic.
Sedentary Workspaces
Many employers believe that having an office desk job is safe. Yet, while it’s naturally safer — from an immediate health perspective at least — than manual work, there are still long-term threats. Office jobs tend to be highly sedentary, and that can have significant consequences, especially when multiplied by many years. Studies have shown that sitting down at work all day can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, musculoskeletal problems, and many other health concerns. Responsible employers encourage their workers to get up from their desks throughout the day, and also provide ergonomic infrastructure that supports the body.
Long Work Hours
Finally, working long hours can make it challenging, or perhaps even impossible, to engage in those good-for-you activities that can support overall well-being, such as spending time with friends, exercising, reading, engaging in hobbies, and cooking healthy meals. These are the things that provide the foundation for a happy life, yet they often can’t take place if the workday is 10+ hours. Working to improve your work-life balance can be key to keeping your mental, emotional, and physical well-being in check.
