According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of American workers suffer from work-related stress.
Along with this, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 7 in 10 American adults report that workplace stress affects their personal relationships.
Sadly, societal pressures to work more are increasingly prevalent.
In popular culture, social media platforms are filled with obsessions around who is working the most and who has more money. Common posts that circulate the web include sayings like “rise and grind” and constant suggestions to work harder each day.
It has now become trendy to “flex” one’s cash and expensive belongings, from designer handbags to fancy cars. Although it’s perfectly fine to take pride in your hard-earned money, the fixation on work has gone to an extreme.
Why has overworking become an American normality?
There is nothing wrong with working hard to achieve your goals and make ends meet. However, balancing a sleep schedule, health and wellness, a social life and work is difficult, if not unattainable, for many.
The American Dream idealism upholds the notion that no matter what cards you’ve been dealt in life, hard work and dedication will reward you with everything you want and more. Unfortunately, this is not always the reality.
According to the United States Census Bureau, about 9.1% of American women and 6.6% of American men work more than one job.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that multiple jobholders were more likely to work on weekends on top of regular weekdays.
Along with this, according to a study done by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, almost half of American employees are concerned with saving for retirement and the financial wellbeing of their household.
In 2016, the Federal Reserve Board survey found that 47% of respondents could not pay for a $400 emergency themselves and would instead have to borrow or sell something.
It is genuinely unsettling that, despite the hours that the American public puts into work, financial instability is still high and retirement plans remain an issue. On top of this, America does not offer guaranteed paid parental leave, putting even more pressure on working families.
Instead of making empty promises and selling unrealistic standards, perhaps a better option is to strive for an environment in which work is not the most important thing in life.
Unfortunately, continued increases in housing, food, education and healthcare costs make an environment like this almost impossible. It is my hope that the quality of life will one day have a greater emphasis than the hours one works per week.
