New studies show that we are becoming increasingly overworked as a society. During the recent Covid-19 pandemic, many people had no choice but to abandon their holiday plans due to the various disruptions to travel arrangements, novel border controls, and the ever-changing requirements and regulations imposed on workplaces. This, coupled with the unique challenges that come with working from home, has resulted in a newly cultivated trend of working longer days and seldom switching off. 

This trend is having detrimental effects on workforces around the world and is one that we must strive to change. Without having meaningful breaks from work, we are putting at risk the well-being of our workers and damaging their support structures and connections outside of the workplace. More importantly, by not taking time to disconnect from work, we are forfeiting the benefits of effective critical and creative thinking within our businesses. 

It might be a good idea for you to make the most of long weekends to truly disconnecting from your emails, LinkedIn and other work-related platforms. 

How holidays help with physical and mental well-being

Holidays are vital to maintaining the well-being of workers. It is well-established amongst psychologists that the absence of meaningful breaks inevitably damages both a person’s physical and mental well-being.

For example, those who are overworked more often suffer from neck or back pain, headaches, diabetes and heart disease. Some workers are also more prone to suffering from mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. It is no wonder then that the World Health Organisation has recently noted that working more than 55 hours per week is considered a ‘serious health hazard’. As such, taking a holiday should be at least an annual priority, if only for the sake of your health. 

Additionally, as we have given less priority to investing time into meaningful breaks, the conditions of our relationships and support structures have deteriorated. In being ever-available to our work, we have become more unavailable to our friends, spouses, children and pets. The negative effects of this can be seen in studies that show a correlation between working long hours and marital breakdowns. Therefore, the value of meaningful holidays cannot be overstated in providing the crucial time that we need to cultivate healthy, strong relationships and build effective support structures. 

Lastly, in not prioritising our holiday times, we are actually doing our workplaces and careers a disservice. This is because we need adequate rest and disconnection from work in order to rejuvenate the very critical and creative thinking capabilities that make us an asset in the workplace. Those who are overworked tend to make more mistakes and to function reactively, rather than engaging in proactive strategic thinking. This means that they are also more likely to be overlooked when it comes to promotions and career advancement opportunities in their workplace. For this reason, prioritising regular holiday breaks should be a routine part of your career progression plan. 

In a nutshell, meaningful holiday times are fundamental to a holistic health and safety approach, and should be a priority within any workplace. For more information on the science behind this, please read the Forbes article here.

For more information about Working Wise and what we do, visit us here: https://workingwise.nz/

In its simplest form, overthinking is problem-solving that has gone awry. To overthink is to spend more time repetitively dwelling or ruminating on situations or thoughts than is necessary or productive. By definition, overthinking is a futile exercise that will ultimately drain your energy, confidence, and motivation. 

What causes overthinking? 

Overthinking may have its root cause in past traumatic events experienced by a person, can be caused by self-doubt or low self-esteem, or may simply be a product of stress and anxiety about the future. 

Additionally, there may be a link between the tendency to overthink and the personality type of the overthinker. Certain personality types have been found to be more likely to fall into the trap of overthinking, such as those who tend towards perfectionism or individuals who feel a need to be in control. 

The dangers of overthinking

Overthinking is more than just an unproductive pastime and can actually have a more serious impact on both the physical and mental wellbeing of a person. 

Firstly, fixating on situations or problems can increase your proclivity for mental health issues, such as mood disorders, depression, stress and anxiety. The cycle of overthinking is therefore so vicious that it can even alter the very fabric of your brain. 

As such, it is no surprise that overthinking can severely impact a person’s ability to think logically, make sound decisions, and solve problems. 

Overthinking may also impact the physical health of a person, and may wreak havoc on the immune system. This is because stress reduces the number of white blood cells in the body, which are crucial in defending the body against antigens. As a result, overthinking increases the chances of struggling with constant illness or allergies. 

Moreover, overthinking often causes insomnia, which saps the energy and concentration of the overthinker, and further compounds the problems mentioned above.  

Tips for managing overthinking

The triggers for overthinking are many and varied. While it is hardly possible for a person to change their personality type, there are ways in which we can calm our minds and break the cycle of overthinking.

Here’s how you can combat overthinking:

• Practice awareness – whenever you feel any self-doubt creeping into your mind, take a step back, review the situation, and acknowledge how you are responding to it. 
• Focus on the positives – don’t focus on the things that can go wrong, and instead think about the things that can go right!
• Put things into perspective – ask yourself whether the situation that is causing you to overthink is really going to matter in a year or even in the next month. 
• Realise you can’t control the future – don’t waste your time worrying about things that you can’t control. Instead, focus your time and effort on thoughts that can make a real difference in improving your situation in a productive way. 
• Release yourself from the past – if you find yourself overthinking about things that have happened in the past, learn to accept these as things that are now outside your control, and redirect your energy towards moving forward.

It is possible to train our mind to remain calm in any given situation. The few points mentioned above can go a long way in helping you manage overthinking when you find yourself doing so.