This might be news to you, but employees in Singapore are more overworked than most people would imagine. A study by a workspace innovation company, The Instant Group, has found that Singapore is the most overworked country in the Asia Pacific Region. Singapore has the longest average working hours per week at 45, even higher than China at 42.
According to the study, Singapore also has one of the lowest average annual leave in the region, with annual leave days of 7. It is important to note that 73% of the workers in Singapore are unhappy, with about 62% of them feeling burnt out.
In this article, we'll discuss some common signs associated with stress and too much work. And how to combat them!
There are many reasons that employees could be overworking themselves. Quotas set by the company, an unreasonable amount of workload, or even high self-expectations. Especially with the hybrid work mode becoming the mainstream in Singapore, employees are facing yet another year of working from home. This blurs the line of work as people are getting used to bringing work home, and spending time on work at various hours in the day. They may start getting used to thinking about work during lunch hours, when they shower, or even right before they sleep.
This lack of a set boundary between work and personal space increases the stress of employees and makes it seem like they are working 24/7. More than 50% of employees in Singapore have found themselves overworking since the start of Covid-19 two years ago, according to the Future of Work research study carried out by Indeed. More than half of the professionals also claimed to work more than the current Singaporean workweek of 44 hours, with most workers wanting to work fewer hours.
These Signs Show That You are Overworked!
1. Mood Swings
People that are overworked tend to find themselves having lots of mood swings during the day. They are easily irritable and can be triggered by the tiniest of things. This makes it difficult to work and communicate with them.
2. Lots of Negative Energy
Besides mood swings, overworked people may find themselves thinking negatively often. This may happen when one is alone at night, or simply when on the bus commuting from work. Negative thoughts can build up and eventually result in mental breakdowns or even depression.
3. Difficulty in Concentration
With numerous tasks piling up, a person may find it extremely difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. Their mind is constantly jumping from task to task, and can’t focus on finishing the one task. This results in lower productivity and a vicious cycle in the long run.
4. Lack of Energy for Social Life
With all their time and energy on work, overworked people do not leave any time for themselves. They may cut themselves off from their friends and any social events as they simply do not have the energy for it. In the end, becoming even more engrossed in work.
Watch Out for These Physical Signs!
1. Insomnia
Stress can cause a lot of impact on the human body. When a person is working on their computer until late hours of the night, their mind is constantly running at top speed even after they put away their work. The blue light from the laptop also significantly deteriorates the quality of sleep. In the long run, this difficulty in falling asleep and lack of deep sleep will lead to sleep disorders.
2. Weak Immune System
Because of the constant stress and the lack of exercise, it is natural that the body weakens and the immune system is more vulnerable. The human body will become more prone to illnesses.
3. Significant Weight Changes
Similarly, due to long hours either at home or in the office, there is a lack of activity. Employees are constantly in the sitting position with minimum movement. On the other hand, some people may be so stressed that they are unable to eat properly, or even skip meals. In the long run, this will cause extreme changes in body weight in both directions. Which is unhealthy and may even affect other factors like blood pressure.
4. Aches and Pains
Long periods of sitting and uncomfortable sleeping positions may cause lots of unexplained aches and pains on the body. Staring at the computer screen and doing paperwork might also cause stress on the eyes, neck, and shoulders.
3 Stress Busting Tips (For Everyone)!
1. Learn to Leave Tasks
It is important for one to listen when they feel that they are reaching a breaking point. At that time, they have to be willing to put things down and leave it for tomorrow when they are energized again. You have to let go if it means bettering your health.
2. Delegate Tasks
Some tasks can be delegated to other people in the team. Offloading some tasks to others means you have more time and energy to focus on the important things on hand. Some of your colleagues or subordinates may have the capacity. They may even want the learning opportunity to sharpen their skills.
3. Grow a Small Hobby
It is a good idea to start a small hobby that can help you take your mind off work. Reading a book, going for a swim, or even taking a walk after dinner every night. These activities are a change from monotonous work and can help your mind think differently.
Looking for more stress busting tips? Check out the BGC Group blog for more information!
Read More: What is Considered as Meaningful Work?