Is Working Overtime Worth It? Finding Your Balance

At some point in your working life, I bet you've felt the pressure of staying online later than intended. Just squeezing in those few extra hours to either take that vacation or make some extra funds. In which case, you'll be all too aware of it being a mixed blessing.

On one hand, it's an opportunity to make more money, meet deadlines, and feel a heady sense of job satisfaction. Conversely, it blurs work/life boundaries, can leave you feeling squeezed, and – long term – can be a huge contributor to burnout.

So, is the lure of extra cash enough for the sacrifice? In this blog, we'll outline the advantages and disadvantages of working overtime to help you decide if it’s worth it or not.

What is deemed overtime

Simply put, "overtime" is work that is done outside of your usual working hours. Unsurprisingly, as each business in each country is different, there are no hard and fast rules regarding what is deemed “overtime” – it’s very much down to each entity.

For instance, in Ireland – where I am – the maximum number of hours you can work in an average working week is 48. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, there are different rules if you're under 18, or if you work in certain sectors. These include:

• Our police force, The Gardaí
• The defense forces
• Shift workers
• Those who work on farms
• Employees who “control” their own working hours

Moreover, here in Ireland, there is no legal right to pay for working extra hours and there are no statutory levels of overtime pay. However, many employers pay employees higher rates of pay for overtime and, as such, checking your employment contract is recommended.

In the States, The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that most employees receive overtime pay for working more than 40 hours in a week. Their overtime rate must be at least one and a half times their regular pay. Notably, there is no weekly limit on the number of hours employees aged 16 and older can work. However, the FLSA does not require extra pay just for working on weekends, holidays, or regular days off unless those hours contribute to a total of more than 40 hours in a week.

So, now that we've skirted the weeds with a loose overview of what is deemed “overtime”, and established that the rules are wildly fluid, let's look at why people might want to engage in working more than they "need to."

Advantages of working overtime

Let’s explore the advantages of working overtime from various perspectives, specifically from the viewpoint of health and wellbeing, career progression, and the resulting satisfaction overall.

Health & Wellbeing boost

Increased contentment

Potential career growth

Disadvantages of working overtime

Now, let’s look at the flipside as it relates to health and wellbeing, career progression, and the resulting satisfaction overall. If I had to summarize it in one word, it would be “bleak”.

Health & Wellbeing setbacks

• Health risks increase: Prolonged overtime can lead to health problems such as depressive disorders, anxiety, hypertension, and sleep disorders.
• Potential impact on pregnancy outcomes: It's worth noting that studies have linked excessive working hours to adverse outcomes during pregnancy, affecting both maternal and fetal health.

Decreased contentment

• Work/life balance bust: As expected, overtime disrupts your work-life balance. It limits your personal time for relaxation and your hobbies. While you might have more cash to spend on social activities, you run the risk of not having either the time or energy to enjoy them. One way to strike a balance could be by exploring working holiday opportunities, which allow you to earn while experiencing life abroad. But of course, this inherently comes with other trade-offs.
• Increased fatigue and burnout risk: It won’t come as a surprise to learn that extended work hours can, over time, contribute to burnout and fatigue. In turn, this can negatively affect your job satisfaction.

Stagnated career growth

• Skill development diminishment: While we’ve established that moderate overtime may enhance skills, the converse is true for chronic overtime. It can hugely hinder learning and development. Why? Because you’ll be far too exhausted to function if you make overtime your norm.
• Personal limitations: Longterm overtime reduces the time you have available for further self-improvement, networking, and pursuing other interests which replenish your wellbeing overall.

How much is too much overtime

A growing body of epidemiological research suggests a strong link between long working hours and a multitude of health concerns.

These include an increased risk of the usual suspects, including:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Stress
• Chronic fatigue
• Stroke
• Anxiety
• Sleep issues

In extreme cases, excessive overtime can be a driver for all-cause mortality. Furthermore, studies have shown correlations with some or all of the following:

• Higher smoking rates
• Hypertension
• Poorer self-perceived health
• Negative impacts on health behaviors and mental health

There is also a correlation worth noting between genders. Again, the National Library of Medicine cites that this is largely due to: “differences in the social roles and socioeconomic status of different gender groups”. As a result, “involuntary overwork is positively associated with the poor mental health of males but can lead to the poor physical health of females. Long working hours can be detrimental to both individual and spousal health.”

In terms of the potential of poor mental health resulting from excessive overtime, it contributes to ⅓ to ½ of all long-term sickness and disability in working-age populations within OECD member countries. So, when you think about it, overtime can be counterintuitive in the long run.

With that in mind, how much is too much?

Taking the American model of the 40-hour working week; The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines any work time exceeding that in one week as overtime, and thus requires appropriate compensation. A second hour of overtime, multiplied five times for a work week, results in 25% more work within a 40-hour week.

However, working 50 hours or more negatively impacts cognitive productivity, as evidenced by a 2008 study by the American Journal of Epidemiology. Of the 2,214 employees surveyed working 50 to 55 hours a week, they showed lower performance on vocabulary and reasoning exams.

So, this (strongly) suggests that 25% beyond your regular 40-hour week is probably the acceptable limit.

Finding a sweet spot between money, time, and satisfaction

While it’s hard not to languish in the weeds of what’s acceptable or not in terms of overtime between countries, genders, and industries, let’s instead focus on the overtime sweet spot. That is the intersection between job satisfaction, overall wellbeing, and the fulfillment of your financial goals.

Naturally, if you manage your time more effectively, you can get more done in less time. This means taking on some overtime shouldn’t impact you negatively, letting you bask in that covetable sweet spot.

This is where employing time tracking software such as Memtime can help. Not only can it help you spend your time more productively, it can also track each minute of your overtime spent on your computer. This way, you can be more conscious of where you may cross the line of acceptable productivity.

Moreover, it could help you calculate just how efficient “working after hours” actually is – beyond the prospect of getting positive recognition from “the boss”.

Wrapping up

So, what have we learned? Balance is everything! And how you manage to strike that balance is key, otherwise working overtime won’t be worth it.

Your decision to work overtime hinges on a delicate equilibrium between professional gains and personal well-being – and bearing in mind that studies show that more than 50 hours total a week is counterproductive.

While the lure of increased income, career advancement, and meeting deadlines can be strong, the potential downsides – burnout, strained relationships, and compromised health – shouldn't be ignored.

Businesses that prioritize work-life balance and offer flexible work arrangements are more likely to retain satisfied employees who are productive during their designated hours. Ultimately, the key lies in personal awareness.

As a freelancer like myself, it’s harder to keep yourself in check – especially in the absence of sick pay, holiday pay, and never being 100% sure of where your next regular gig will materialize.

So, recognize your limits – both physical and mental. Adopt time management techniques, like the Pomodoro method or time chunking. If you don’t have someone who can hold you accountable, consider using Memtime (which has a free trial) to keep you and your hours in check.

Until then, remember to schedule those breaks, and always (ALWAYS) prioritize sleeping and eating. You’re no good to anyone if you burn out.