It happens every day. You get home from a long day at work and you’re dead tired. You start to ask yourself how sitting in front of a computer all day can make you so tired – especially when you come home to relax and you basically do the same thing. Work fatigue is a real phenomenon, and there is some complicated psychology behind it. The good news is that you can make a few small changes in your work routine to get your life back on track.
Evolutionarily, sitting in front of a computer screen all day wears you out because of the sheer force of will it takes to do so. We evolved to look after many needs simultaneously – safety, food, shelter from the elements, etc – so forcing ourselves to focus on just one thing for an extended period of time can be downright brutal.
When you start to feel the effects of this fatigue, it’s time to make a mental list of how you are spending your time at work. Are you taking enough breaks? Most states mandate a certain amount of break time to be taken during a normal work shift, typically 30 minutes for every 4 hours of work. As we work more and longer hours – the national average has climbed from 37.5 hours a week in 1976 to 47.7 hours a week today – it’s more important than ever to find balance.
Work fatigue can be more serious in more stressful job positions – doctors and retail workers as well as those making low wages are at the greatest risk of serious work fatigue. It’s important to do whatever you can to mitigate this fatigue and get your life back on track – your health could depend on it.
Learn more about combating work fatigue from this infographic.
What do you think of this infographic? Do you suffer from work fatigue? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
