It’s Official: Leaving Work Early Is Good for Your Health
You’ve gotten your dream job and even figured out how to bring your pooch along with you. You’re on your way to being a real #girlboss in the office, kicking butt and doing it all with a smile. But there’s one thing you should be doing in order to not only make you a more effective worker, but also make you live longer: leave early.
You read that right! According to the Huffington Post, a study out of the University College of London polled 600,000 people across the U.S., Europe and Australia and found out that those who worked more than 55 hours per week (that’s an 11-hour work day for those that need a little help with the math) had a higher risk of stroke. 33% higher, to be exact.
There was also a 13% increase in risk of heart disease, which all spells bad news for the hardest working among us. What makes the study most interesting, though, is that unlike a previous study that measured diabetes, the risk of stroke isn’t associated with any gender or socioeconomic background — it’s directly related to the number of hours worked.
While the study was only observational and didn’t take into account things like cholesterol, high blood pressure and family history, it’s still scary to think about how much your desk time can affect your health. Check out our favorite ways to stay active, eat healthy and de-stress, and for goodness sakes, leave early! Science said it was ok!
Share your tips for leading a better work life in the comments!