Mental Health And The ‘Gig Economy’

 

A common phrase used to describe the times we live in is “gig economy,” as in the average American is now working multiple “gigs” to keep up with the increased cost of living. And that can mean moonlighting as an Uber driver, freelancing in the evening and all sorts of tasks that expand your work week beyond 40 hours. But how does all of that affect mental health? A new article on The Fix offered some interesting insights.

 

The truth of the matter is, those who put in longer than average work hours do show more signs of depression (particularly among women). And let’s not forget about the anxiety factor as well. If you now serve multiple bosses, chances are you’re undergoing twice as much stress.

 

Fix writer Kelly Burch gathered most of this data from a recent study published in The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. As lead research author Gill Weston explained, some interesting data arose, but there is still much more to be explored. She was particularly concerned with the stats about overworked women (who were showing a 7.3 percent more likelihood to be depressed after putting in dozens of hours).

 

“Women in general are more likely to be depressed than men, and this was no different in the study,” Weston explained. “Independent of their working patterns, we also found that workers with the most depressive symptoms were older, on lower incomes, smokers, in physically demanding jobs, and who were dissatisfied at work.”

 

Sadly, many of the people who do take on extra jobs find themselves in the midst of a thankless profession. Driving an Uber, for example, can put you in front of cranky customers, just as you would experience if you were working an additional part-time retail gig.

 

The extra jobs usually start off because of a need for more income as well. So we are definitely certain that added bills (perhaps relating to child costs) can trigger some of these depressive feelings.

 

Though Weston understood that, in many cases, people may not have a choice when it comes to taking on extra work, she did hope that these findings could get in front of employers in the hopes of making them more sympathetic.

 

“We do hope our findings will encourage employers and policymakers to think about how to reduce the burdens and increase support for those who work long or irregular hours—without restricting their ability to work when they wish to,” she concluded. “More sympathetic working practices could bring benefits both for workers and for employers—of both sexes.”

 

Coping With The Stress Of Corporate America

For millions of people across the country, work life consists of putting in long hours at a corporate office. Though, on the surface, sitting in a cubicle doesn’t seem as stressful as manual labor, there are plenty of stressors that accompany this culture. In fact, Psychology Today is reporting that “corporate anxiety” is on the rise. As such, that site and others have helped list out coping mechanisms to improve 9 to 5 mental health.

First the alarming stats. Did you know that one out of every nine corporate employees suffers from an anxiety disorder? This not only impacts their lives and well being, it can create problems for others in the workplace. Symptoms called out by Psychology Today include irritability, excessive fatigue and a lack of productivity. The sad truth is, issues like these can actually lead to a person losing their job (hence creating even more mental health challenges, such as depression).

Psychology Today writer Joni Johnston Psy.D. outlined key triggers that can contribute to office anxiety.

“Long hours, demanding supervisors, high workloads and lack of clear direction are some of the biggest culprits, especially when they occur together,” Johnston wrote. “In particular, jobs with high demands and low control. A lack of rewards, such as money, esteem and career opportunities, can increase stress and, hence, the risk for psychiatric ill health.”

So what can be done to help ease this problems? Interestingly enough,  Inc.com offered some helpful solutions that have shown success among office workers. Listing out about half a dozen remedies, the business site focused on natural techniques.

On the top of their list was getting enough sleep. Even if you have to put in long hours, try to go to bed at a decent time once you return home. It may be easy to want to blow off stress binge watching your favorite shows late into the night, but by depriving yourself of at least eight hours of rest, you may be creating a vicious anxiety cycle.

Exercise and meditation were also called out by Inc. Simple activities like stair climbs can work as an outlet during a difficult day. Their writer pointed to the fact a mere 10 minutes of aerobic movement can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.

In regards to meditation, that can be as simple as stepping outside of the building and sitting with your eyes closed for a matter of seconds. The key is deep breathing and a focus away from the corporate stressors.

Of course if it feels like the issues are tougher to handle, then we highly recommend reaching out to a trained professional for ongoing coping mechanisms.