More and more it is true that we are an overworked nation and it takes a toll on the very fabric of American life. Today 31% of men and 16% of women put in more than 50 plus hours per week up from 22% and 11% respectively from 1980.

Technology has increased productivity by more than 70% which in the past has resulted in a decreased workweek. Not anymore. In a survey of 7,800 people, about 25% indicated that their voicemails, e-mails, and meetings are unmanageable while 40% spend a half to a full day on useless e-mails each week. All of this extra work takes its toll.

In a survey, it was found that employees under pressure are more likely to make mistakes, feel anger towards their boss and resent coworkers who do not work as hard. People who are highly overworked tend to be more depressed and stressed. More than a third of the employees do not use all of their vacation time.

It is recommended that employees should use vacation as time off and not take work with them. This allows them to be recharged and not drained. Building buffers, map out your days and give your self a breather between different activities, screen calls, and e-mails while you are outside the office are among other techniques that may be helpful.

Coping with work at home or office includes getting organized. If one is not organized, s/he is costing their company money. You can hire an outside organizer to help you get organized.

How can individuals deal with being overworked? Have you been in jobs where you were overworked? How did you cope with it? Explain.