Working is good as it keeps the person active and smart, but working overtime is not at all worth it. It might give you little more pay, but what is the fun of having the amount which only results in your bad health? Is it worth working overtime ? Overtime work has negative consequences more than the positives.
Is Working Overtime Worth it?
Is it worth it to work overtime? No, absolutely no, it is not good to work overtime because of many reasons listed below:
1. The first and foremost is the health:
When you work overtime, it no doubt pays you more, but it also somewhere affects your health. This is because when you work more than what a normal human body allows, it will somewhere be a danger. If you already are working from 9-7 in the evening and still decides to work more 3-4, it is not at all acceptable. It will only add up to the health issues like back pain, mental issues and so on.
2. Personal life is affected:
Apart from the professional life, there also lies the personal life which demands equal attention. So, if you do not pay attention to your own self; one day you will realize that you are turning into what you never wanted or had dreamt of. Everyone needs to spend some time in one. So, instead of working extra or overtime hours, better to spend some time mulling about yourself.
3. No social life:
It is good to pay attention to work, but certainly it is not apt to become a workaholic. This is because when you just work the whole day, you are left with nothing but the work all day long. The friends and the social life are affected. Also, it is not just the matter of social life being affected, but also you feel bored and frustrated as the work only becomes your priority. No time is left for friends, family and the social life is ruined completely.
4. The performance is affected:
It is a natural phenomenon that the brain stops working after it is exploited more. The brain also gets tired and needs rest. When you work continuously and do not give rest to your brain; you get to see the poor results. This further leads to frustration and anger.
5. You get more bored and frustrated:
Its human tendency to get bored with the same work; if done for a longer period of time. This boredom and the frustration are reflected in the work through bad performance. The level of frustration rises and you may opt to leave the organization.
6. Mental illness is also one of the disadvantages:
The brain also stops working after some time. It also needs refreshment. If you do not provide it to your body and mind, even you will end up doing nothing at the end of the day. Even after working extra, you will wonder that you did nothing; which will let your reputation go down in the company.
7. More of pending work will be there:
When the work is done under so much pressure, it usually yields less efficient results. The pace of working slows down and this leads to more of pending work. The pending work piles up at the end of the day and again, you are required to work extra hours the next day. It becomes a cycle and you are not able to get rid of it. So, before it becomes a vicious cycle, it is better not to work overtime. Finish your work on time and then spend the rest of the time with yourself, family and friends. Maintain a happy work life balance.
8. It sheds away the happiness of an individual:
When the work load is more, the happiness is affected. This is because the frustration, irritation, restlessness and less sleep disturbs and irks the mind and the body. You don’t feel happy even if you have good overtime pay or earn more. The fun in life, the excitement and the enthusiasm is lost; hence withers happiness away from your life.
9. If you do not have to pay extra tax:
When you work extra hours, you get overtime payment paid accordingly. But, in case you have to pay tax more than what you earn extra, then you might take a wise decision of not working extra, as working extra does no good to you, instead you are taxed heavily. So, in this case also it is not worth working extra hours.
10. If you do not feel burdened:
If you are not feeling burdened with what you have chosen to do, it means working overtime is in your favor. But in case, you feel unhappy while working or you feel burdened, less peaceful then you must drop the decision of working for more time,as it will only affect your health on larger extent and nothing else.
So, these are the reasons why one must not opt for working overtime. But in case someone has some sort of emergency and need of the hour is working overtime, then you can opt for it. But if the only motive is earning money; then you must think once before taking such a decision.
How Much Overtime is Too Much?
Doing overtime is OK to some extent. This is due to the simple reason that it does not pay overtime salary very much. Overtime becomes too much when you decide the following:
1. Working on a regular basis:
When you decide to work on a regular basis, you are doing too much overtime. Doing for a day or two, or even for a week is fine. But when it exceeds the limits of what said, will however affect you only.
2. Working additional 4 to 8 hours a day:
Already the working hours of the corporate companies are long and when you add to the existing working hours, it becomes more tiring. The addition of 4 to 8 hours a day is said to be working overtime.
3. When the compensation is less:
When the compensation is less, even the overtime seems a giant overtime. The overtime work also seems fruitless and you end up disappointed. The disappointment further extends to detach with the work which leads to poor result and bad performance.
So, the word overtime itself is explanatory. Whether you work extra for a week, a month or say a year; it will end up giving you nothing but some chunks of currency, which you might have to spend further on the health, that you sacrificed for the money.
How to Calculate if Overtime is Worth it?
Overtime calculation can be easily done by your own self. You just need to measure the changes in your personality, the type of individual you turn into and also many other factors that would help you calculate overtime pay:
1. Check out on your performance:
Whether you believe it or no, the overtime working somewhere affects your performance. This is due to the never ending cycle that it forms. For example you work overnight for one day, it snaps your sleep. The other day goes disturbed due to less sleep and the same happens over and over again. This ultimately affects your performance for the next coming days. So, if your performance is getting bad, means overtime is not worth it.
2. You feel happy working overtime:
When you feel happy and enjoy working overtime. it simply means that it’s worth it. Most of the time, overtime does not results in happiness but leads to exhausted body and demands for rest and peace. If you feel like ending up, it means the limits have crossed and you are not happy working more. So, this is also one of the way by which you can know whether working overtime is worth it or no.
3. You get paid well:
For what you probably choose to work overtime and you do not get that in return, it means it’s the time to say goodbye to the overwork. For example, people accept to work overtime for money. If you are not getting the fair amount, then working overtime is not apt for you.
4. Your health is not getting affected:
When you choose to work more than your body allows, you end up with complaining for health, which gets worse with the passage of time. So, if your health complaints are increasing and you have to run to the doctor, means your decision of working overtime is not at all apt. If everything which includes the whole day schedule, gets affected to the larger extent, then it certainly is a negative effect of working for long haul hours.
5. Your family life is not affected:
If you are getting positive response from your family, then you are working on a right track. Your family life is not affected, the family is cooperating with you on every step, means you can work for more hours a day. The working for overtime is in your favour. So, be happy, as this also shows whether working over is fine or no.
6. You are enjoying company with your friends:
If you are getting time off to spend with your friends. Then it is ok to work extra hours in office. But, in case you feel like being detached from your friends circle and the society, you must not work more as it will only result in anger, irritation and resentment; which will only affect your work performance at the end of the day.
7. You get time for yourself:
Make sure you get to spend some time intrapersonally. Intrapersonal communication is must for the peace of mind. This helps in discovering the oneself, moving away from the rest of the world and spending time with your own thoughts. It is also necessary and if you are not able to give yourself quality time, it means the overwork that you do is not worth it.
8. You enjoy the work:
If you feel like doing the work with full interest and do not feel tired like hell, means you are on the right track. How much you enjoy while you work is the main question and also one of the parameter of knowing whether working overtime for you is worth it or no. So, until you enjoy what you do, just continue. Until you enjoy the task, you even do not feel tired and wish to do for longer period of time but if it is opposite, then leave the idea of becoming a workaholic.
So, these are some of the points which simply tell you whether working overtime is apt or no. refer to these points and compare it with your situation then you will get all answers to your questions.
Do you Get Taxed for Overtime Pay?
People have been working overnight in order to earn little more. The hard work you put may raise number of questions like whether you will have to pay extra in form of overtime tax rate pay or no. So, here is the answer to the question. The bonus income that you get from working overnight is very less, unfortunately. This is because of the extra hour worked by you is charged with tax at highest marginal tax rate. In many of the other cases the overtime workers may be put into the high tax bracket. As per the survey, the Americans have been putting extra work hours a day than any other community in the world. So, as per the tax equation, even if the worker receives time and half for working overtime, he has to pay large share direct to the tax collector.
So, through this, it is one kind suggestion not to work overtime as it results in nothing but poor health, becoming socially awkward, loosing family love, snipping away from the friends and society. The best thing is to avoid working overtime and lead a great life.
