WE HAVE all gone through this horrific experience. You’re watching the minutes tick by, anticipating the time you clock out. You’re already looking forward to relaxing with a bit of Netflix, a book, some video games, or sleep. Then, you’re supervisor approaches you and asks you to stay a bit longer. All your hopes of enjoying some downtime get crushed.
As someone who used to have a job in the hospitality industry, these instances were fairly common. They took a serious toll on me physically and mentally. The balance of my work and personal life was blown out of proportion.
Overtime is inevitable. It is possible in any kind of job. Some people welcome it because it means more benefits i.e. money. More money means more means to buy an iPhone 12, a PS5 or a hearty meal of Samgyupsal.
Specifically, you are supposed to be paid one and a half of your salary if you work more than 40 hours a week. Unfortunately, several employers tend to find ways to work around this rule. Employees end up being underpaid and abused.
Overtime work can also help you advance in your career and be more productive. For competitive jobs like sales or marketing, this is important.
Staying after hours in the office can also leave you in a quiet environment with no distractions. You will be able to keep your train of thought on that meticulous report instead of having to focus on the phone or clients.
However, too much of one thing can never reap good results. Overdoing your overtime can affect your physical and mental health, increase your job dissatisfaction and even leave a negative impression on your boss. They will think you have poor time management skills and you´re constantly chasing after your workmates.
How can you make sure that you don´t do too much overtime?
Well, remember that it’s only worth it if you get acknowledged or compensated. Make sure that you do overtime purely for work purposes and not just to take advantage of the work WIFI.
Also, if your family and personal time start getting affected then try to reduce your overtime hours.
To conclude, overtime can be beneficial to you to some extent, but work isn’t the only aspect of your life. You must learn how to balance your labor and relaxation time. Failure to do so can bring down your work productivity and result in burnout.
So, the next time you feel like you may need to do a few extra hours, take a look at the task at hand. Is it urgent? Do you need to finish it today? If it can wait, let it wait.
Disregard useless tasks and ask for assistance if necessary. Go home, binge watch your favorite series and continue your work at a reasonable pace the next day.
Protect yourself from the horror that is overtime./PN
