by Chau Nguyen, Negosentro | How do you feel about your job? Love it? Hate it? According to research conducted by American consulting firm Gallup, only 13 percent of people worldwide like going to work. Disturbing, isn’t it?
The company also found that the average work week in the United States is 47 hours. We’re spending so much time doing things we don’t like, with people we don’t like. No wonder we’re often stressed and cranky.
Work-related injuries are not just limited to individuals with high-risk occupations such as construction laborers and electrical line workers. Here are seven ways your job could be hurting you, possibly without you even realizing it.
- Neck and Shoulder Pain
With a lot of us hunched over our computers all day, painful necks and shoulders are common complaints among modern-day employees. Also, sitting at a desk for extended periods wrecks our postures.
Hunching forward puts extra pressure on the neck, which can lead to soreness, muscle strain, pinched nerves, and disk herniations. To avoid pain and bad posture, it is recommended to take frequent breaks and do stretches.
Foot Pain
If you have a job that requires you to be on your feet for hours, then you must be familiar with foot pain.
While standing burns additional calories and tones muscles, doing so for too long has a negative impact on one’s health. Aside from painful feet, prolonged standing can cause varicose veins, heart disease, and other issues.
One way to alleviate foot pain is to wear the right shoes. For a shoe that’s suitable for standing all day, look for a roomy toe box and a low, wide heel.
- Constant Stress
Experiencing some stress at work is normal, but if you’re always exhausted and overwhelmed, then it’s probably time to take a closer look at your situation.
Chronic stress affects your body, mood, and behavior. Related problems include headaches, fatigue, anxiety, depression, overeating or undereating, substance abuse, and angry outbursts.
Are you stressed even when you leave the office? Is it also affecting your family and friends? If the answer is yes, then it could be a sign to move on.
- Not Enough Sleep
Maybe you work odd hours or work-related troubles are keeping you from getting enough shut-eye. Either way, sleep deprivation is linked to various health issues.
Lack of sleep impairs alertness, concentration, problem-solving, and other cognitive processes. Chronic sleep deprivation also increases your risk for stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Untapped Skills
You know you’re capable of so much more than your current responsibilities; however, your boss doesn’t acknowledge your skills, your offers to handle more challenging tasks are ignored, and you still haven’t gotten that promotion you deserve.
If you feel unfulfilled and believe your potential is being wasted at your current employment, then it might be best to find a new employer who will appreciate what you have to offer.
- Stunted Growth
No, we’re not talking about your height; we’re referring to your personal and professional growth. Are you bored at work? Are you doing the same things day in and day out?
Experts agree that if you haven’t learned anything new in the past six months or if there’s no more room for advancement, then it’s time to leave. It’s important that you keep learning new skills—this will make you more valuable to employers.
- No Work-Life Balance
When you find that you’re spending more time in the office than with friends and family and doing things you enjoy, you might want to cut down your work hours or start looking for other opportunities in order to avoid burnout.
Occupational burnout can put you at risk for some diseases and negatively affect your personal relationships.
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Author Bio:
Being obsessed with running, Chau Nguyen decided to build his blog Running Addicted. Here you’ll find a whole lot of information, from helpful tips and advice to the best gear for running. Follow him on Twitter
