4 Signs Of Being Overworked That Jobs Want You To Think Are Normal

Many people spend their days climbing the corporate ladder, ignoring their well-being in the process. They work too hard and for too long with little compensation or acknowledgment. But, there are risks associated with overworking. According to the World Health Organization, working 55 hours or more weekly puts employees at a 35% increased risk of stroke and a 17% increased risk of dying from heart disease.

Still, in our never-ending hustle culture, it can be difficult to discern if you are being overworked, as so many concerning practices have been normalized. Thankfully, in a recent video, a content creator known as @awellmadewoman shared four indications that you are being overworked to be aware of.

Four signs of being overworked that jobs want you to think are normal:

1. You work outside of your scheduled hours.

overworked man working outside scheduled hours mavo | Shutterstock

Unless you are fortunate enough to set your own schedule, you likely have specified working hours, perhaps a 9-to-5. If you find yourself consistently working outside of your scheduled hours, then you are likely being overworked.

@Awellmadewoman said that regularly "answering calls, answering emails after hours, logging in early or working later than normal" all indicate that "your workload is probably too much."

Writing for Psychology Today, psychotherapist Joyce Marter noted that people often work outside of their scheduled hours when they have unreasonable workloads, are battling workaholism, or want to "ride the wave of productivity." Yet this practice can lead to fatigue, mental and physical health concerns, loneliness, and burnout. There is, of course, also the issue of whether or not you get paid for the additional time you put in.

2. You frequently take on additional work that is outside the scope of your job.

overworked woman tasked with work outside the scope of her job PBXStudio | Shutterstock

If you find yourself doing work that isn’t supposed to be yours, something is definitely off. Doing the work of multiple people is a sure sign that you are being overworked, even if your boss wants you to believe it is normal.

"Maybe somebody left their position, and they threw that extra work on you until they find somebody new," @awellmadewoman suggested. "Finding somebody new is probably taking a very long time on purpose. And why would they find somebody new if you’re already doing the role?"

Ivy Exec, a job search platform, noted that it can be difficult to turn down extra work that is outside the scope of your job, especially if you want to please your boss. However, it won’t do you any favors in the long run, as it will only lead to burnout.

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3. The work affects you physically and mentally.

overworked woman job affecting her physically mentally fizkes | Shutterstock

If you’re being overworked, you will inevitably start to notice some negative changes to your physical and mental health. “You are probably drained and tired to the point where you get off work, you don’t have the energy to do anything else, you just wanna go to sleep," @awellmadewoman said. "Other physical and mental impacts include you’re being stressed out. You feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and there’s just no end to this work. You feel depleted. And you’ll also find that you feel stressed and that you cannot focus.”

The Mayo Clinic described this as “job burnout,” a type of burnout related to the work you do, which affects you physically and emotionally. They listed “having a heavy workload and working long hours” as a factor in becoming burned out. While this negatively affects your health, your employer would likely prefer that you attribute these symptoms to something else and keep working hard.

4. Feeling frustrated and angry about the wrong things.

angry overworked man TetianaKtv | Shutterstock

When you’re frustrated about work, it tends to bleed into other areas of your life, and you may unintentionally take it out on the people closest to you. "When frustration settles in, it can show up in many ways," @awellmadewoman explained. "One is irritability, meaning you might be snapping at everyone you interact with, including co-workers and family."

While occasional frustration is normal, your job should not make you perpetually angry or irritable. If it does, you may be overworked.

Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.