The health message of cigarette packets could well apply in the professional environment: “Working (too much) harms your health”. An abusive assertion? Not if we are to believe a recent American study published earlier this month in the specialist journal Functional Ecology.
Dr Andrew Young of the Center for Ecology and Conservation and Dr Dominic Cram, both of the University of Exeter, Great Britain, have shown that the most hardworking limbs of a species of bird in which the distribution of the spots is assured tend to have a shorter life. They also fall ill more often due to depleted levels of antioxidants. However, this reduction would lead to oxidative stress causing premature aging and the development of pathologies. The analogy with the human species is made: we find this same oxidative stress in people who work hard. The Americans end by shattering the misconception that “work never killed anyone”. A conclusion that serves as a message to all those who over-invest in their job: working excessively to obtain social and financial advancement can shorten life expectancy. We are warned.
From overinvestment to burnout
There is no point in working like a madman then. British researchers are joined on this point by American colleagues from the University of California and San Francisco. They argue that efforts made in one’s job, for example getting a project done in advance, are seldom rewarded. Moral: no need to work hard! Here again, moderation is better than overwork.
In France, more than 3 million French people are said to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown at work. In question, an over-commitment at the origin of a psychological suffering. This is the famous burn out, this burnout syndrome, which can lead to depression if it is not supported. Pressure, stress, professional insecurity. Today, more than one in 10 French people would be at risk of burnout. A sign that work is no longer synonymous with good health.
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