“Hard Work Never Killed Anyone” – Really?

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Categories: self improvement

I’d bet that, as a kid, you heard the phrase “Hard work never killed anyone.”

I can see why parents and teachers say it. After all, kids are prone to whining – about homework, chores, or anything that’s not exactly a lot of fun.

As adults, we’re sometimes averse to hard work too. Maybe we procrastinate, or we slack off.

Often, though, we work too hard. We put in long hours to impress our bosses, or simply to make a bit more money.

The thing is, Mom wasn’t telling the truth. Hard work can kill. Think about:

  • Stress-related illnesses, like migraines, high blood pressure and even heart attacks
  • Poor lifestyle choices caused by busyness (eating on the run, not exercising) that lead to long-term consequences like weight gain, diabetes, even strokes

In some working environments, and some peer groups, there’s a cult of busyness: you might end up feeling that you have to work long hours just to keep up with everyone else.

How Did We Get So Busy?

On the face of it, the long-hours culture seems odd. Over the past fifty years, technological advances mean that we’ve got all sorts of labor-saving devices that our grandparents didn’t have, like washing machines, dishwashers, computers…

In fact, a generation or two ago, people believed that by now, our main problem would be too much leisure time.

It’s not worked out like that. Some of that’s for good reasons – like our innate need to do productive, useful work. But there are a lot of not-so-good reasons too:

  • We work hard because advertisers convince us that we need to keep buying bigger and better products
  • We take on debt because banks push credit cards and unaffordable mortgages
  • We think that  “frugality” is a dirty word
  • We’ve been seduced by a culture that tells us “having it all and having it now” will make us happier

Perhaps we think that this way of life is inevitable. Our friends and colleagues all work hard, probably in jobs they don’t like very much, and let off steam at the weekends. But does it really need to be that way?

What Really Matters to You?

Prioritizing money and work above everything else can be fatal. And even if it’s not, it can come with a very hefty price tag. Do you really want to:

  • Spend the majority of your life working at something you don’t like?
  • Miss seeing your kids grow up?
  • Put money before your real values?

Your health and your happiness are important. Sure, working hard to reach your goals is a valuable trait … but it’s not the only thing that matters in life.

I know there aren’t any easy answers. I know that you might be in a situation where you have to work incredibly hard just to make ends meet. But if you’ve got any sort of choice, I’d urge you to start looking for ways to enjoy life a little more. That might mean cutting back on what you spend on things that you don’t really care too much about – and having more freedom instead.

If you’d like to explore some ways to get off the busyness treadmill, check out these great Pick the Brain posts:

 

 

Want to feel great every single week? NOW YOU CAN!

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  • http://www.thecenterforconfidence.com Nate Parson

    This is an excellent article. Thank you for sharing.

  • http://thebooksthatchangedmylife.com marc van der Linden

    I believe the most important thing in life is to know what your values are and live your life according them. If not we will end up in a very busy life without value for ourselves and our loved ones.

    So yes, I agree completely: it is important to look to what matters and prioritize our money and work in function what really matters.

    Thanks for sharing!

  • http://www.clintcora.com Clint Cora

    Related to working too hard is business travel. A bit of business travel here and there is okay for most of us but in some positions, it can be a bit too much especially when one has families left at home. When I was a national sales manager in the pharma industry, I was away from home overnight 50% of my time. Good thing I didn’t have a family. But that amount of travel was still a bit much which is why I wouldn’t do that again. It all comes down to how you want to spend your time for everything that you want to do in life.

  • JeanetteL

    The Japanese have a word Karoshi that means “death by overworking.” I think they’re onto something.

  • Dave

    Great picture choice! Sometimes that’s exactly how I feel.

  • http://www.maxafication.net Vonzel Sawyer

    It seems that these anecdotal sayings always require some leveling to stay in context. Your post addresses the balance and intent of the saying.
    This is the other side of the “hard work” that is stated after someone has passed. “He worked himself to death”. I believe the simplicity is in using it in the correct setting and the saying not becoming a timeless or universally applied truth.

    Nature works hard but with wisdom. There are four seasons with one season working at a time in so the other three can rest.

    Thanks for the balance.

  • http://www.championsofpowerfulliving.com Kara Lane

    In addition to working too hard, part of the reason we’re so busy is as a result of our addiction to the latest technology. Now in addition to everything else, we’re often constantly checking our Blackberries or iPhones for texts, emails, Tweets, Facebook comments, Linked-In messages and so on. Technology is great, but sometimes we need to slow down and just read a good book!

    Thanks for the article!

  • http://www.Mazzastick.com Justin | Spiritual Development

    Hey Ali,
    I work more now than ever. Even when I am not working I still have responsibilities to take care of. Today as an example: Go to work, get hair-cut, get oil changed in my car, pick up wife, take my car to get emissions checked, go eat, go home and begin blogging. Yikes, I need a vacation.

  • http://www.markgoulstonmd.com/ Christy

    Thank you for sharing this, happiness is really more important than money.

  • http://dailybitsofwisdom.com Kyle

    When it comes to the question of much work I should be doing, I remember this Mark Twain quote: “The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation.” When you do what you love, the boundaries between work and play disappear and every task becomes joyful. We no longer have to work so hard to get attain an easier life.

  • http://www.davida-yemi-akanle.com Davida Yemi-Akanle

    I once heard a saying which I think is appropriate to share:

    “Poverty is when big efforts produces small results, and success is when small efforts produces big results”.

    If we are being overworked, and getting no results we are probably working the wrong system.

  • kyen-emoh

    i love this! its worthwhile!

  • http://mrmichaeltucker.com Michael Tucker

    I believe work should be steady and enjoyable… not “hard.” People who work “hard” are usually doing things they don’t enjoy for reasons that aren’t really theirs in order to build a life that the could often care less about. Passion is the precursor to success and happiness. Become wealthy, doing you your joy and pay others to do everything else. If you’re still transitioning into your wealth and don’t have the money now to pay others, barter with them. You’ll be surprised how well this works. Trust me, your life will be so much easier and your work will be easy and effortless…not “hard”

  • shivakumar

    I agree with you,really its true.There is saying that no one has drowned and died in sweat.so work hard n reach your goal..

  • Bibledude

    Hard work never killed anyone – Funny- the guy who invented guns worked hard
    - the scientist who invented that faulty medical device worked hard
    - Engineers work hard – look at all the polluting car, chemical, nuclear or plastic plants (to name a few) – watch the documentary the disappearing male (there is some truth to it)
    - Ponzi schemers work hard ! 

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