Until I can support my family through passive income streams that I have been working to build, I am relying on a job as our main source of income. This can be referred to as my active income, as I am actively working to earn this money. Earning active income is nothing new and is what most people rely on to live off of.
Working and having careers to earn this type of income is very important to the survival of an economy, as well as the livelihood of ones personal finances. However, there are times when a job or career can become unhealthy. That is why building multiple streams of income (hopefully passive in nature) is so important. It allows you an escape from an unhealthy work environment so that you can focus on building new income streams in the interim.
Do you find yourself in an unhealthy work environment? Check out the 5 signs below as a test.
5 Signs Your Job has Become Unhealthy
Here are just a few indicators that should make you realize you are in a bad situation. Some of these signs are okay from time to time when emergencies at work come up. However, there is definitely a problem when they become the norm over the long term.
- When you see coworkers more than your children. – Do you see coworkers more than your family? If so, then you are probably working in an unhealthy environment. At first this may not seem like a big deal if it happens every once in a while. However, as time goes by and days become weeks and then months – there is a problem. Don’t sacrifice your family and the experiences you could have with them just for a career. It just isn’t worth it.
- When you spend several hours on the weekend to catch up on emails and other tasks for your job. – Do you use the weekend to catch up on the hundreds of emails that you missed during the week? I know several people who spend well over 4 hours every weekend answering emails and catching up on administrative tasks. I thought the weekend was for relaxing?
- When your boss has you on speed dial. Does your boss have your cell phone or home phone number on speed dial? In emergencies and other critical situations this is acceptable. However, if your boss continues to call you after hours or on the weekends to help her/him out, then you are probably working in an unhealthy job.
- When you spend more hours at work in a day than outside of work. Do you work at least 12 hours at the office every day of the week? Do you go home from work just to eat and then go right back to working from home? If this is a consistent behavior, then you probably have a problem that needs to be addressed. Spending the majority of your day working for your job over long periods of time is never worth the sacrifice of things you may be missing in life.
- When you start picking up unhealthy habits. Are you stressed from your job? Have you started smoking or eating unhealthy foods because of your stress? Often times, when workers are stressed about their jobs and are asked to work lots of hours, they turn to things like smoking to calm themselves. Eating unhealthy foods is also common in these situations. Most people also forget or don’t have time to add any exercise into their daily routines. All of these factors combined are harming your health and will cause your body irreversible damage in the long run.
As I write this post, I find myself experiencing 4 of the 5 signs listed above. As my career moves along and I move up through a company, these become more and more of persistent behaviors that I am working to address.
What is an unhealthy job?
I use this term a little vaguely, but an unhealthy job to me is a prolonged set of activities around your career that can have a negative impact on your life. Whether the end result is health related issues due to stress, not seeing your children grow up, or even divorce – sometimes a job is just not worth it. Don’t get me wrong – we still need money to survive and people need to work, but nothing is worth sacrificing your life for a company!
Are you in an unhealthy work environment? Let me here your story.
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This is an interesting list. I now work at home full time, and I have to say I am picking up new bad habits. Eating badly is one of them. At lulls in my productivity I often reach for the snacks! The best way I have found to avoid this is by 1) Not buying snacks and 2) Not eating them. I know 2 sounds silly, but what I mean by this is that the more I eat them, the more I want them. If I can go one week without snacking then the next weeks are a lot easier! Just thought I would share my tips. And good luck to anyone looking to break free from their current career.
@Web Career Girl – I know exactly what you mean about avoiding foods. As soon as I eat one of something, I want another of it. It is often better to just not eat the first one at all and then I am okay.
It’s a very *poking* lists John
I’ve been in list 2,3,4,5 before and while I was categorised there I hardly noticed anything *unhealthy* hah~
I even used to consider *workholic* is a positive, complimenting words ^^
Only after I experienced more leisurable and liberating lifestyle later that I realized what I was doing was only trying to be busy for the sake of busy, for filling up every gaps of my life worrying I might get bored otherwise
Insightful post, John~
@Sandy – I was the same way. All through college I was told how important things like multi-tasking and being a workaholic were. Now I look back and wonder who came up with these rules. I would much rather spend time with my family!