When you’re pursuing your dreams and goals, you get accustomed to working hard. It is so exhilarating that taking a break may not even cross your mind, you may never think about slowing down. This happens to employees too. If you’re someone who genuinely loves their job, you probably work around the clock, take on the world, and are never afraid of what you’re faced with career-wise. With the ever improving technology that we have access to today and the increasing number of employees working remotely, some individuals tend to overdo it sometimes. Whether you have your own business or you work in a role that you’ve always dreamt of, you may not realize it but you could be damaging your health with a crazy work ethic and habits! In a previous article, we discussed wellness for entrepreneurs and employees and I recommend you visit it. Consider this: US workers work almost 300 more hours per year than French employees. That’s the equivalent of 38, 8 hours days of work. As a culture and a people always striving to excel, we are used to working long hours. The problem is that we can overfill our plates assuming that everything will be okay. It may not be. So if you’ve spotted any of these signs, it may be time for you to slow down a little.
- You’re Not Sleeping Well
How is your sleep pattern? If you’re someone who struggles to get a good night’s sleep or you only sleep for a few hours each night even when you wish to rest longer, it might be time to take a load off! Stress can be a deterrent to a sleep. In fact, your unconscious mind is continuously trying to solve problems even during your sleep so while you think you’re resting, it may not be totally the case.
It is not wrong to be productive and have work to do. On the opposite, people who always have free time and nothing to show for seldom contribute to society in a meaningful way. Still, remember that you should have boundaries. We all need to get good quality sleep if we’re going to stay healthy. If you’ve noticed that you’ve been having trouble sleeping lately or you’re not able to switch off, it’s a sign that you’re putting too much pressure on yourself.
- You’re Immune System is Weak
Spring and summer are very painful seasons for those who suffer from allergies. However, there might be other reasons why you feel so sick as soon as the air is filled with pollen. If you always seem to catch a cold when you’ve only just gotten rid of one, then you need to take a step back and look at your lifestyle. 
Your immune system may be weakening due to stress. When your body is overwhelmed, it can affect ability to fight back sickness.
- The Quality of Your Work Declines
One of the worse signs that indicate that you need to slow down is the diminishing quality of your work. Whether you’re providing a service to your clients face to face or working in an office environment without contact with customers, producing work that is below par could cost you your job or worse your clients. As a business owner, you definitely want to avoid that. So do a quick audit of your life and work out how you can slow down.
On another note, when you’re overworked, you may find that your actions are also causing you to be negligent! And not only can this affect you, but it can also affect others around you. You surely don’t want to be the one who negatively affects everyone’s work in the office. Worse, if you’re in job that requires you to operate heavy or dangerous machinery, the consequences of negligence can be legal. The same applies to pilots, cab drivers or truck drivers. If an unfortunate event were to happen, your employer may have the legal protection to have your back. However, in a lot of cases, you could totally liable. Yes, you could defend yourself by seeking legal help, call The Tenge Law Firm for instance but it’s best to do your due diligence and avoid such inconvenience. So, if you’re overworked, stressed, and tired, you need to take action to avoid a bad quality of work.
- You’re Not Happy
Finally, if you’re just not happy in life, then you need to make a change. If you’re so overworked that you’re stressed and it’s affecting your quality of life, it’s time to take a step back and work out a plan to be happy instead.
Money-Smart Millennials 