All Work and No Play Leads to Burnout: New Study
New European research is encouraging us to take a break from work and set boundaries between our personal and professional lives, after finding that failure to do so can lead to exhaustion.
Carried out by Ariane Wepfer and colleagues from the University of Zurich in Switzerland, the study looked at 1,916 employees from a broad range of sectors in German-speaking countries.
The results showed that those who did not organize a clear separation between work and free time were less likely to take part in activities that could help them relax and recover from the demands of their work.
This therefore led to them feeling more exhausted, a reduced work-life balance, and a reduced sense of well-being in different key aspects of their lives.
“Employees who integrated work into their non-work life reported being more exhausted because they recovered less,” commented Wepfer, “This lack of recovery activities furthermore explains why people who integrate their work into the rest of their lives have a lower sense of well-being.”
Vocabulary:
set boundaries – (idiom/expression) to establish clear limits on what is acceptable or how different parts of your life are separated, “If you want to reduce stress, you need to set boundaries and avoid checking work emails at night.”
exhaustion – (noun) the state of being extremely tired, either physically or mentally, “After working a twelve-hour shift, she collapsed onto the sofa in a state of total exhaustion.”
broad range – (noun phrase) a wide variety of different things, people, or ideas, “The university offers a broad range of courses, from astrophysics to ancient history.”
sectors – (noun/plural) distinct parts of a country’s economy, society, or industry, “Jobs are growing quickly in both the technology and healthcare sectors.”
clear separation – (noun phrase) a distinct and easily recognizable division between two things, “Drawing a clear separation between your home life and your job is crucial for your mental health.”
recover from – (phrasal verb) to return to a normal, healthy, or strong state after experiencing stress, illness, or hard work, “It took him several days to fully recover from the physical toll of running the marathon.”
demands – (noun/plural) things that require a lot of your time, attention, energy, or effort, “Balancing the demands of a busy career and raising young children can be incredibly difficult.”
work-life balance – (noun phrase) the comfortable state of equilibrium where a person equally prioritizes the demands of one’s career and the demands of one’s personal life, “Many modern companies offer flexible hours to help their employees achieve a healthy work-life balance.”
sense of well-being – (noun phrase) a general feeling of being happy, healthy, comfortable, and satisfied with your life, “Regular physical exercise can greatly improve your overall sense of well-being.”
integrated into – (phrasal verb/past participle) combined or incorporated into something else so that they work together as a whole, “The new safety features have been seamlessly integrated into the vehicle’s design.”
furthermore – (adverb) in addition to what has already been said; besides, “He is an exceptionally talented musician; furthermore, he writes all of his own lyrics.”