11/27/2006
I Hate My Job, Now Pass the M&M’s
Is Your Waistline an Indicator of Job Satisfaction? It could be. Studies show that increased stress levels can be linked to added weight, particularly around the midsection. So not only do you now hate your job, hate your boss, hate you irritating cubicle mate who loudly boasts of his weekend exploits, you now notice the scale moving steadily upwards. What the hell?!?!I can back this theory up. Up until things went *really* bad at my last job about 3 years ago, stress and anxiety used to steal my appetite. Then all of a sudden, as if someone flipped a switch, the job went to crap and I gained weight. I’m STILL trying to lose those few extra pounds. But this whole idea of the job making me gain weight was like adding insult to injury.
So why does this happen? In an article on Sparkpeople.com, the findings suggest that people that work too much (more than the standard 40 hour work week) and consistently suffer from work fatigue are most likely to gain weight. You read that and think, “well gee, that narrows it down by about nothing.” Of course – more and more people work beyond the standard 40 hour work week. As a result of that, people are going to be tired. That’s just natural. The article suggests however, that when done consistently, the weight will go up.
What’s interesting is how this really affects those that are unhappy with their job. According to this article, the ones suffering from work fatigue agree with 3 or more of the following statements:
- My work is definitely too stressful.
- I feel like I'm totally exhausted.
- I feel totally worn out after a day at work.
- I feel tired in the morning when I have to get up and go to work.
- I worry about my work even when I'm off duty.
- I have to work too hard.
The suggestions given are good; however I’m not so sure how realistic it is to follow through enough on them to see positive results.
Their ideas include taking a break, simplifying the areas in your life that need it, evaluating your work schedule and tasks (good luck with that), and taking a good long look at your job. This last one makes the most sense. I mean, at some point, almost everybody’s job gets busy. You work on a big project or presentation, or whatever. But if you’re continually burning the midnight oil at the office, you need to rethink your strategy. Is it really worth it to stick it out? Chances are, all signs will point to refreshing your resume and reconnecting with your network to see what else is out there.
Otherwise, you need to be warned about the added weight – it’s not going to go away if the contributing factors do not change. Ultimately, the weight gain will lead to bigger medical issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, to name a few.
Examine your situation and decide what’s important. But always remember that jobs come and go – your health is another matter altogether.
Otherwise, you need to be warned about the added weight – it’s not going to go away if the contributing factors do not change. Ultimately, the weight gain will lead to bigger medical issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, to name a few.
Examine your situation and decide what’s important. But always remember that jobs come and go – your health is another matter altogether.
