Read this article before your workplace kills you

August 15, 2013.

Moritz Erhardt, a 21-year-old intern at Bank Of America,

dies in his office after suffering an epileptic seizure.

Reportedly, he had been working for 72 hours straight.

January 28, 2014.

Gabriel Magee, A 39-year-old vice president at JPMorgan in London,

commits suicide after jumping from the window of the bank's headquarters.

Reports suggest that he was under significant work-related stress.

And recently on July 21, 2024,

Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old CA at Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune,

passed away.

She too was under excessive workplace stress.

You must have observed a pattern by now.

Extreme Workplace pressures = Young Deaths and Suicides.

Modern perceived wisdom suggests that it is better to change your

job and find a new place to work.

However, that is an option so many can't take.

Bills, living paycheck to paycheck,

supporting family medical bills,

are some of the most common reasons to do so.

You might think this is a more common occurrence

in India.

But that is not the case.

Praveen Joshi, who is a data analyst and lives in India, went

to Canada to avoid this toxic work culture.

But in Canada too, he suffers from this issue of long working

hours.

You might also easily think that the deaths are few cases,

but that is also not true.

The three cases listed above are among many that are happening

globally right now.

Such cases are spiking and in the coming years

it will further rise.

Why are such cases rising?

When the market is performing poorly, then why is the workload high?

What can you do about such situations?

And how can you save your life in such situations?

The answers to all this will be answered in today's edition of

Good Luck and Good Growth!

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The Weight of Workplace Stress

Workplace stress is not a new phenomenon.

This was first discovered in 1869,

by American Neurologist George Miller Beard.

He coined it as "neurasthenia".

This is used to describe a condition characterized by fatigue, anxiety, and irritability.

He attributed this to the rapid pace of modern life and work demands.

Earlier this was primarily observed in coal mine workers.

But its impact is now a global crisis.

There are always three traits that are seen here:

-- Long hours

-- Unmanageable expectations

-- A culture that glorifies overwork

These have created a breeding ground

for physical and mental health issues.

Stories like Anna’s, or that of Gabriel Magee,

are becoming far too common.

It shows that changing your current job is not the answer.

Then what can we do to overcome this health hazard?

The odds here may look like unsurmountable.

But they are not.

We have to change the way how we look at happiness and resilience.

How can changing the way we think, save our lives?

Connections in a Lonely Place

Friendship is called one of life’s greatest joys.

But how do you build meaningful connections in a toxic workplace?

Take Samira for instance.

She is a young consultant who often felt isolated in her competitive firm.

Inspired by her online friend’s advice,

she began interacting with coworkers who seemed approachable.

Lunches turned into informal brainstorming sessions.

Soon enough she found allies who understood her struggles.

Together, they shared coping strategies and occasionally vented over coffee.

But Samira did not just stop there.

Samira also leaned on her personal network outside of work.

"Talking to friends who weren’t involved in my industry gave me perspective,"

she shared.

"They reminded me that my worth wasn’t tied to a title or a deadline."

Building alliances and seeking support allowed Samira to

create micro-communities.

These communities buffered her against the

worst of her workplace’s toxicity.

It made her feel that she will not be caste out.

Leaving is not the way to survive a toxic job. It is finding the right people to support you.

But what about the happiness that comes from success?

Can that be redefined too?

Redefining Success on Your Terms

Age-old wisdom suggests that happiness does not come from wealth or prestige.

Long-lasting happiness and serenity come from

living in alignment with your values.

Ravi Kumar, a software engineer, learned this the hard way.

His toxic workplace demanded perfection at breakneck speed.

Soon he couldn't keep up the pace.

And sooner than that, praise was replaced by criticism.

Tarun began questioning his self-worth.

One evening, he asked himself:

What makes my work meaningful?

Instead of fixating on his manager’s harsh feedback.

Tarun shifted his focus to the impact of his work.

"When I thought about the end-users, I felt a sense of purpose.

Students using our app to learn, and parents managing their time better,

are some of the beneficial imagery that got painted rapidly on my mental canvas"

By reframing his perspective,

Tarun rediscovered the intrinsic value of his efforts.

Celebrating small wins like solving a challenging bug or helping a teammate,

gave him moments of pride amidst the chaos.

And the best part, his productivity didn't get hampered.

It shows how much internal validation is more important

than external validation.

Apply this and you will know how much it will change your outlook.

But are only employees responsible for managing expectations?

Simplifying Expectations to Lighten the Load

Much of our unhappiness comes from chasing unnecessary desires.

In a workplace, this translates to striving for perfection in environments,

where it’s neither possible nor valued.

Meet Anya Yuan, a project manager working in China.

She was a part of China's notorious “996” work culture.

996 means 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week.

Exhausted and on the verge of burnout, Anya made a bold choice.

She set boundaries.

"I stopped working past 7 PM," she explained.

"At first, I was terrified.

But I realized my well-being was more important than keeping up appearances.

Same is for my team."

Anya learned to prioritize tasks based on their real importance

rather than perceived urgency.

"Unless and until it's a matter of life or death, only then it's important.

Otherwise it's not that important."

She said.

She also began ignoring office gossip and drama,

focusing instead on her personal goals.

Over time, she noticed her productivity didn’t suffer, and she felt more in control.

As you can see, simplifying things makes all the difference in the world.

But is only our work life responsible for our happiness?

Finding Joy Beyond Work

Happiness, as psychologists have figured out,

is primarily an internal state.

By practicing gratitude and cultivating resilience,

even toxic environments can lose their grip.

Take Varun, an intern in a high-pressure investment firm.

Despite his junior status, Varun made a habit of pausing each day to

list three things he was grateful for.

Arun also invested in hobbies outside work.

He joined a weekend photography group, which became his emotional outlet.

"It gave me something to look forward to and reminded me there’s a world outside the office."

This shows that the best way to handle work stress isn't to work harder,

but to live fuller.

The true work and life balance

At the end of this article,

Modern professionals can take this advices to heart:

• Setting Boundaries: Turn off work notifications after hours and protect your time.
• Nurturing Well-Being: Invest in physical and mental health through exercise, mindfulness, and proper rest.
• Finding Purpose: Focus on how your work serves others or aligns with your long-term goals.

For Anna Sebastian, it’s too late.

But for the countless others still battling toxic workplaces, there’s hope.

By embracing the principles of friendship, purpose, simplicity, and resilience,

we can reclaim our happiness.

PS:

If you have read this to the end, then thank you.

Do you want to ensure that your team stays happy?

Then you should know about my sponsor Ascension Group Inc .

Their team of corporate trainers will make sure that your

team morale always stays high.

Take good care of yourself.

And until next time, this is Manikk Gupta ,

wishing you good luck and good growth.