Why are we working so much?

For a land of freedom, it seems more and more of us are becoming enslaved to our jobs. Longer work hours are expected, we're being contacted after logging off, and it's becoming standard when going on vacation to say: "You can reach me via text." This lack of boundaries results in poor mental and physical health, and lower productivity which has negative ripple effects on society and our planet.

When we work excessively, we have less time and energy to:

• spend with loved ones

• pursue other interests or passion projects

• be outdoors

• exercise

• cook

• do the things that make us feel like happy, compassionate, and well-functioning humans

The irony is, when we are happier, studies show that we're 13% more productive - getting more done in less time with lower turnover. This should incentivize companies to prioritize employee happiness; however, society doesn't always recognize this. We've been conditioned to think in terms of "more." More growth. More time. More success. More money.

We shouldn't be expected to sell our lives to a company's bottom line. So, why are we working so much?

For the first time ever, the United States failed to make the list of top 20 happiest countries. This isn't surprising when you look at the trend of the US's declining rank year over year for the past decade.

The happiest countries have consistently been the nordic ones. And guess what? Their culture is dedicated to providing them with more time for living rather than working. Most Scandinavians have a standard, mandatory 25 days off every year, compared to the United States' average of 7.6 days.

Furthermore, endless studies have shown that a four-day workweek leads to increased productivity, revenue, and employee happiness, along with reduced turnover and stress.

Going through life, we need to be intentional with the metrics we use for our happiness. If a high paycheck and long hours to pursue climbing the ladder is your metric, then have at it. However, when surveying an elderly population on regrets, four of the five top regrets were:

1. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

2. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

3. I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself and not others' expectations of me.

4. I wish I had let myself be happier.

My metric for happiness is: memories created with loved ones, financial stability, fostering a community, and having a positive impact on the planet. This can be achieved by clearly communicating our needs in a tactful way to ensure that we can perform a job well without sacrificing our wellbeing.

As a society, we need to make it a norm to establish clear boundaries without fear, and have those boundaries respected and upheld.

Worried about asking for what you want? If you died, a company would replace you within a month or two. Make sure you're happy with what you give and get, because life is too short to be swept into the narrative that you always need to give more.

Need help navigating this conversation with your manager? Need to look for a job elsewhere? Want to explore going down the path of entrepreneurship in this fickle life? Reach out and let's get you where you want to be!