Overtime the killer

For most people in the UAE and across the world, fast-tracking careers and developing new skills to get ahead means working really hard and putting in long hours. While it may help them score over their competition and race ahead in the short term, working long hours without a break can kill them, say experts.

With the festive season just around the corner, all those who have been putting in extra hours at work – some even working during their off days – will be preparing for a much-needed break.

Away from laptops and PCs, with the sword of achieving targets not hanging over their heads, many will be taking off for at least a week or two to recharge their batteries. This is crucial for their mental and physical health, and could be a lifesaver.

Kenichi Uchino, a quality control manager at Toyota in Japan, collapsed and died after putting in more than 80 hours of overtime every month for six months. A Japanese court that examined the causes behind his death, ruled that overwork, much of it for no extra pay, had caused the 30-year-old’s death. But his tragic case is not the only one.

An advertising employee Li Yuan died of a heart attack aged just 24. He had been working until 11pm every night at the Ogilvy & Mather China offices in Beijing in the month before he died.

Fatigue was said to have triggered an epileptic seizure in Moritz Erhardt, a 21-year-old Bank of America Merrill Lynch intern who was found dead in his flat two years ago after working for 72 hours straight – a common practice where pulling all-nighters is part of the culture. He collapsed in his shower only a week before his internship was to conclude after reportedly working until 6am.

Interns in the banking sector have even coined a term – magic roundabout – which is when a taxi takes interns home, waits outside while they shower and change, then drives them back to the office to begin another long day. The long hours’ culture prevails among young professionals desperate to get their big break.

The phenomenon is so commonplace in Japan, known for a its strong work ethic, that the Japanese even have a word for it: karoshi. It means death from too much work.

The statistics are scary. According to reports, 400 people die annually from health conditions attributed to overwork in the nation, but the real figure could be as high as 20,000, say experts.

But the Japanese are not the only ones who are succumbing to karoshi.

We all do it – work ridiculously long hours, sacrifice time with loved ones and miss momentous events. We claim it’s to ensure a better long-term lifestyle for ourselves and our family. But what if we stopped to think that those excessive hours tied to our desks are actually putting our health at serious risk? ‘If you work consistently long hours, you will surely get sick physically or mentally and your productivity will fall. It’s clear-cut,’ says Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Manchester Business School, in the UK.

It might sound far-fetched but if we go through the various lifestyle elements associated with a day stuck behind a desk, and then putting in an extra shift, you may just say no the next time your boss (or your conscience) tempts you to leave late.

If not, experts warn we risk relationship breakdowns, a negative impact on our family life, serious ill health and premature death.

For all those who believe they should be seen working long hours, presenteeism – burned out individuals being physically at work but ineffective – should be warning enough as it’s harmful to both organisation and employee. The UK and US have some of the longest working hours in the world, yet lower rates of productivity than others who work less. Emerging economies, such as China and India, expect long hours from their workers and have been historically reluctant to implement any kind of time guidance to protect people and their long-term health.

But some countries are waking up to the detrimental effects of working overtime. Two months ago, Sweden introduced a six-hour working day having calculated that streamlining work processes can generate greater output over a shorter time frame. And the results are beginning to show. Scandinavian employees, in general, are healthier than their UK and US counterparts – and more productive per capita, says Prof Cooper.

‘In the Seventies, there were a lot of power strikes in the UK yet productivity was the highest it’s ever been. Companies were focused because power was only available three days a week. If you work and are concentrated, you are more productive. There is a cumulative effect – long hours are damaging and humans need respite.

‘We also have to factor in the commute to and from work, which means people have less time for family and exercise.

‘We need to encourage more flexible working. If you’re in a central working environment, it’s worse than flexibly using technology to work part-time from home.’

He adds that even now when people come home they don’t stop working. Thanks to the devices, you are connected to office or work 24/7.

At the outset, office work is bad for health in a host of different ways. First, there is the general sedentary lifestyle, which leads to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Then there is the office space in which you work – the style and set-up of your workstation desk/chair/monitor, which can prompt musculoskeletal problems if not positioned correctly; the alarming rise of dining al desko – poor nutritional food and unhygienic environment; and the increased risk of stress and a lack of work-life balance.

Health experts warn that inactivity could send us to an early grave. They recommend 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity every week – brisk walking, swimming, riding a bike – tough enough to raise your heart rate, and exercising twice a week to strengthen all the major muscle groups, like jogging or yoga.

Prof Cooper seconds health experts’ warning. Work-related pressures can induce a range of illnesses if people do not exercise a healthy work-life balance, he says. ‘Illnesses can be cardiovascular or immune system issues like long-term viruses. There is also a higher risk of stroke and more mental health issues.’

Researchers of The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, estimate that lack of exercise is responsible for about 5.3 million deaths a year worldwide – about the same number as smoking. That equates to about one in 10 deaths from diseases such as heart issues, diabetes and breast and colon cancer.

Researchers say the problem is now so bad it should be treated as a pandemic.

An increasing number of countries as well as companies are implementing curbs on overtime in a bid to ease the pressure on staff members.

‘Germany is very good at managing out-of-hours work,’ says Prof Cooper.

‘Companies put in constraints in, like turning off email servers to stop people working in the evenings and at weekends.

‘Authorities need to recognise it’s a problem of productivity and health and encourage the industry to act.’

Emma agrees. ‘It is time to take your health and well-being seriously, for your sake, for the sake of your staff and for the sake of those you love,’ she says.

‘Working long hours presents a number of significant health risks. For example, individuals can suffer from poor physical and mental health; low-level health niggles such as coughs, colds, eczema and infections and/or increased worry, low moods and mood swings.

There is also the risk of cardiovascular disease (high blood pressure and heart attack), anxiety and depression, ulcers or irritable bowels, backache, neck ache, headache, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

‘Consistently working long hours leads to lack of good-quality sleep and subsequent fatigue, which has a knock-on effect on health and productivity in the workplace.

‘Not looking after your health, far from allowing you to pack in more performance, presents significant risks for effectiveness.

‘Individuals can suffer from poor concentration and memory, and poor relationships at work, becoming withdrawn or argumentative, finding it harder to co-operate with others, and experiencing increased levels of aggression and irritability.

‘Poor decision-making and less clarity of thinking are commonplace, as are poor time management, organisation and planning.

All this can lead to a shift in the way you see the world including low confidence, and dissatisfaction with work and home. It impacts not only on you, but also the other people in your life.

Your marriage can break down, and your children are affected too as you tend to spend less time with them and miss out on key events in their lives.

Interpersonal skills also suffer and it becomes hard to manage effectively.

‘Break down your workload into manageable chunks. By the yard it’s hard, by the inch it’s a synch!’

Occupational Psychologist Emma Donaldson-Feilder advises that all incoming emails should be filtered using the four Ds:

■ Deal immediately

■ Dump immediately

■ Delegate for someone else to do

■ Diary to deal with in the future

‘You can actually be more productive when you work fewer hours. Working longer does not equal getting more done. If you work long hours, you are exhausting yourself and getting less from each hour. It is better to limit the number of hours you spend working and ensure that time is really well spent.

‘It’s important to create boundaries about when you are and aren’t contactable by email and phone. Use it, don’t get used by it.’

Emma also warns that lack of sleep is one of the most harmful elements of a non-stop working lifestyle. A good night’s sleep is not just for wimps and kids, she explains. ‘Getting enough quality sleep is the single-most critical aspect of your health and energy management, ultimately more important than diet or exercise.

‘Sleep deprivation wrecks vitality, mood, concentration and creativity. It damages the immune system, reduces cell repair and fertility, and ultimately stresses you more.’

Emma understands the pressures faced by the modern employee but advises that the phenomenon of presenteeism is harmful to both the individual and the organisation.

‘People burn themselves out, and lack energy, creativity and productivity when they and their company would actually benefit from the individual taking time away from the office to relax with family and friends, listen to music, read a book or just simply switch off and do nothing for a while.

‘Keep perspective on your life. Work is just a part of it, don’t let it take over. It is not more important than your health or your family – don’t behave as if it is.’

From the seat you sit on all day to the nature of your lunch, there are steps you can take to make your working life better, allowing you improved health and leisure time with loved ones.

If your company is really committed to employee health and well-being, why not encourage the boss to invest in a new treadmill desk? Canadian researchers found that those who walked while working were more attentive than colleagues who remained seated.

The golden days of long lunches or simply a standard one-hour break seem to be confined to history. Eating at your desk has become the norm. Yet those who stay indoors all day are at risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency – which, without treatment, can increase their risk of musculoskeletal conditions.

Solution? If possible, walk to work a couple of mornings each week. Not only is it an opportunity to bathe in some much-needed sun, but your heart will thank you for it too.

But there are other reasons you must take a lunch break away from your desk:

Eating at your desk plays havoc with your digestion: eating when your mind is busy, you tend to eat faster, swallow huge chunks of food instead of eating mindfully. Chewing for a minimum of 30 minutes helps your food digest better and prevents heartburn, indigestion and bloating.

Your desk is likely to be an insanitary place to eat. You might wash your hands and food during preparation, but how clean is your workstation? According to a University of Arizona study, your desk contains about 100 times more bacteria than a kitchen, considering people rarely clean their keyboards and desk, but the kitchen is often cleaned every day.

You are likely to eat less nutritious food at your desk than pausing for a proper meal elsewhere – even in the canteen or outside in an open space. Unhealthy snacks are often found on desks, quick to grab and eat while working, washed down with a sugary energy drink. Boost your energy naturally by stepping away. You will be more productive afterwards.

When you don’t get proper nutrition, your work will suffer. People tend to think that continuously being at their desks means that more work is being completed. However, the opposite may be true.

Sitting for long hours takes its toll on your shoulders, back, neck and legs so take a lunch break to ease those pressures, help blood to circulate better which, in turn, provides more energy and oxygen to your tissues and organs.

It is also important to consider the chair you are sitting on for all those hours, along with the position of your desk and other work accessories, such as your telephone and monitor.

Ergonomic chairs are specially designed to give the user maximum comfort and convenience. Many believe it is relaxing to sit in one, but it is actually quite stressful for the body. Sitting exerts great stress on the back because it transfers the full weight of the upper body on to the buttocks and thighs. ‘Prolonged sitting is associated with significantly more injuries, ill health and even disease, all leading to an earlier death, compared to those who sit much less,’ says Dr Phil Maffetone, an internationally recognised expert on health, nutrition, and human performance.

Sitting, especially for long periods of time, can increase pressure on the intervertebral discs – the shock-absorbing parts of the spine. It’s also hard on the lower extremities since gravity forces blood to the legs and feet and creates a sluggish return of blood to the heart.