The urge to put in overtime hours is strong, especially when you have overwhelming bills or a family to support, or you feel like you need to put in those hours to advance your career. However, all of those long hours might have serious short-term and long-term consequences. Studies have shown that working too much overtime may increase your risk of:

• Workplace injuries from repetitive motions
• Workplace accidents that cause injury
• Increased blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart disease

Sometimes, working overtime hours also gives you less time to prepare healthy meals, exercise, relax, and enjoy life. Studies have shown that those who work overtime may have increased body-mass index and alcohol consumption, which may lead to many other health problems.

Putting in those long hours can also have a negative effect on your mental health. Spending more time at work and worrying about work increase your stress levels. It also puts you at a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Working overtime also puts stress on personal relationships, which increases your risk of depression. It increases the risk of familial conflict, and when one or both couples in a marriage work consistent overtime, it increases your chances for divorce.

Working a couple of hours of overtime once in a while might be necessary for your job, but nothing is more important than your health. The key is finding the right balance of work and personal time to ensure that you have a healthy personal and professional life.