Many people work long hours, leaving very little time for leisure activities. Does this situation has more advantages or more disadvantages ?

Working overtime is becoming a lifestyle for many workers nowadays, causing them to have a limited or even no time to pursue their personal interests. While there are some benefits,

such

as the ability to gain an extra income and fasten one’s

career

progression; the drawbacks, namely an increase in depression level and unhealthy lifestyle, are draconian. Some workers find it beneficial for them to

work

longer hours than ever before. One of the main factors is related to finance. As we may be aware, some people have been struggling to cope with the increased cost of their daily expenses, and

therefore

, working an extra hour seems to be a viable solution for them to earn more income in order to support their lives.

This

phenomenon can be seen in many developing countries in Asia, where the rate of working overtime is rising.

In addition

, some employees, especially in the lower-level rank, tend to sacrifice their leisure hours to

work

instead

in order to climb their

career

prospects faster than usual. These people wish by over-performing others, they will have more chance to move into the

next

level in their

career

path.

This

method has been proven to

work

effectively in Japan, where staff, who usually stay longer in the office to

work

will receive a higher performance rating during the appraisal period. Sacrificing our personal lives to

work

longer hours is not without its shortcomings,

however

. Some people may neglect their lives without realizing what more important for them is to have a

work

-life balance. Many employees are suffering from acute depression as they are either required by the company or it is their own decision to

work

overtime. Recent research conducted by the University of Cambridge,

for example

, has revealed that 80% of young executives suffer from mental illness problems due to the heavy load and stress caused by

work

.

Furthermore

,

this

trend has led many workers to live a sedentary lifestyle, which can be detrimental to their overall well-being. A prime example can be seen by the growing number of employees, who have to combat the overweight issue as they are getting busier with working than exercising. In conclusion, there are pros and cons to people leaving their free time working over the required hours. While there are some benefits that can be obtained from

this

trend,

such

as gaining extra money and progressing faster in the

career

, the drawbacks, which detriment one’s physical and mental health, far outweigh the advantages.

Therefore

, it should be avoided and prevented by all of the workers.