The Success Epidemic

Time has come when we are compelled to reevaluate our idea of success and power. Financial stability and security are very important for our existence, money is required to buy food, medicines, to handle uncertainties, to get education and so on, it has its place in our life. But is it all that there is to life. Our society measures success by the length of numbers on our bank statement and the square feet of land we possess. Success is also evaluated by our power and ability to influence others. Nevertheless, what is the cost that our society is paying to achieve heights of success, both individually and collectively?

A study of German doctors found that nearly 50% of physicians appeared to be suffering from the ‘burnout’ reported that they feel tired during every single hour of the day and that the mere thought of work in the morning leave them feeling exhausted. According to a Finnish survey men and women deal with burnout in different ways, male employees who reported exhaustion were far more likely to take extended sick leave than burned out women.

Job stress is estimated to cost American industry in excess of $300 billion a year. Workplace stress is costing the Australian economy $14.81 billion a year, where stress related presenteeism and absenteeism are directly costing Australian employers $10.11 billion a year. 

Work-related stress is one of the biggest health and safety challenges in Europe. Stress is the second most frequently reported work-related health problem, affecting 22% of workers from the EU 27 and the number of people suffering from stress-related conditions caused or made worse by work is likely to increase.

The latest estimates from the UK Labour Force Survey (LFS) show that the total number of cases of work related stress, depression or anxiety in 2015/16 was 488,000 cases, a prevalence rate of 1510 per 100,000 workers.

The total number of working days lost due to this condition in 2015/16 was 11.7 million days. According to the survey, in 2015/16 stress accounted for 37% of all work related ill health cases and 45% of all working days lost due to ill health.

At the start of people’s career, age, energy and excitement are at their peak levels. It is considered quite normal to work at least 12 to 13 hours a day, and taking a day off when feeling down or low is considered almost a sin or as sign of weakness and incompatibility with the fast pace work environment. Whatever might be the situation men and women would follow their die hard routine of 13 hours work day, the bosses love it because it means getting more work done quickly and increased productivity.      

  

But then something slowly starts to happen, the favorite employee asks for a half day off because he/she is gone to see a doctor for a sense of heaviness, the acidity or heartburn, accompanied with head and back aches. There are also complaints of irritability and short-temperedness and even their most mundane tasks are draining all energy and concentrating on work has also became increasingly difficult.

Few weeks later, half-day off changes to 1 or 2 days leave and then 4 to 5 days sick leave because the employee is diagnosed with severe depression combined with either a serious heart condition or diabetes or high blood pressure or something much amazing like a lump or a growth in body.  One fine morning, the boss would come to know that the same highly productive employee is having a heart surgery or biopsy.

According to one argument, our brains are simply ill evolved to deal with the modern working environment. The increasing emphasis on productivity – and the emotional need to prove one’s worth through one’s job – leaves workers in a permanent state of ‘fight or flight’. This state originally evolved to deal with acute danger. But if we face that kind of pressure day in, day out, we endure a steady surge of stress hormones – an onslaught that our bodies struggle to continually fight.

  

This is the price people pay for success, unfortunately this is not restricted to their health but it takes up their family life as well.  

I am sort of rule breaker and would do what I feel is right for me, especially in terms of my health and peace of mind. A point comes to all us when we are fully aware that our energy is down and it is taking more than the usual effort to go to work, that is the point our bodies are telling us to stop and take a break. I am mostly aware of that moment, so when it comes I leave early or take off  immediately. My colleges, both former and current, always ask me: ‘you just took off like that!’ with shock and disbelief echoing in their words.

I give them more shock, when I tell them to do the same whenever they feel something similar to me. Almost all of them give me more or less the same response: ‘no way I can never do that, everybody will think that I am weak or very fragile, besides I would not know what kind of politics other staff members will do during my absence.’                

Our society, especially the professionals are so much into telling the world that they are very strong and have never-ending supply of energy that working for anything less than 12 to 13 hours is a shameful thing. And many professional women embark on the perilous crusade that they are just as strong and capable as their male colleges.

As for me, my prayers and best wishes are with both of them. Strength and weakness is not about physical strength, energy or stamina- or else a bull or an elephant due to their strength could become President of a country.

Real strength is when you are feeling good from inside, it is about awareness and wisdom, it is about the joy of being alive and being around the people we love. Strength is about creating a peaceful family life, strength is about being alive, strength is feeling your heartbeat from the brisk walk in the early hours of morning. Strength is about being wise and humble and firm.

Strength has nothing to do with stamina, it is a combination of heart, body and soul. Strength comes from enjoying the work that you do, strength comes from giving, strength is about managing your work and saying No when it is enough. Real strength is when you do your best, not out of fear or competition or insecurity but out of love and passion.  

When we give our best, our love to anything we do, whether it is cleaning dishes or ironing clothes, or drafting a complicated legal document- that love becomes our greatest strength  it creates perfection with honesty, and that is when you are at your best. When you reach that point of love, honesty and enthusiasm you create magic and then no politics, no competition no day off can take it away from you.

So take a break, sleep 7 to 9 hours, have breakfast, eat home cooked meals, exercise or walk at least for 20 to 30 minutes three days a week, pray, be grateful to God, meditate, study religion & spirituality, read books, laugh, sing, paint, create (even if you are as bad as me in singing or painting), be with your family and friends. And please, please minimize taking work related calls after work, stay away from smartphone and tablets at least at bed time.

Your love and honesty combined with passionate hard work will give you excellence and eminence; and then you become a Successful Person who is healthy and alive, who is a blessing to their family, friends and the society, who is connected to their heart and soul, and whose heart and soul is connected with God.  

Sonya Syed (Day 569).