The health message of cigarette packets could well apply to the professional environment: “Working (too much) harms your health”. A misleading assertion? Not if we are to believe a recent American study published earlier this month in the specialized journal Functional Ecology.
Dr Andrew Young of the Center for Ecology and Conservation and Dr Dominic Cram, both of the University of Exeter, Britain, demonstrated that the hardest working members of a species of bird in which the distribution of spots is ensured tend to have a shorter life. They also get sick more often due to depleted antioxidant levels. However, this reduction would lead to oxidative stress at the origin of premature aging and the development of pathologies. The analogy with the human species is made: we would find this same oxidative stress in people who work hard. The Americans finish by breaking the received idea according to which “work has never killed anyone”. A conclusion that has the value of a message to all those who overinvest in their job: working in excess to obtain social and financial advancement can shorten life expectancy. We have been warned.
From overinvestment to burnout
There is no point in working like a maniac. The British researchers are joined on this point by American colleagues from the University of California and San Francisco. They argue that the effort put into one’s job, such as turning in a project early, is rarely rewarded. Morality: no need to work hard! Again, moderation is better than overwork.
In France, more than 3 million French people are on the verge of a nervous breakdown at work. In question, an over-commitment at the origin of psychological suffering. It is the famous burn outthis burnout syndrome, which can lead to depression if not supported. Pressure, stress, professional insecurity. Today more than one in 10 French people would be threatened by a risk of burnout. A sign that work is no longer synonymous with good health.
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