英语听力文摘 English Digest 722 加班坏处知多少？（在线收听）

Working Overtime

In American culture, working hard is almost always stressed as an unmitigated good. Is it possible to work too hard, though? Of course the answer is yes.

But the actual mental and physical consequences of working too much are less well known. According to a good amount of research, overworking, which is typically defined as working more than fifty hours per week, is strongly linked to reduced physical well-being and also to mental disorders such as depression.

Now, the science here is not exact. Working fifty or more hours a week may suit some people just fine, and even lead to better mental and physical fitness. It depends on the person in question, and also the type of work involved.

Still, scientists have recognized a phenomenon called the Theory of Time Allocation which, basically, suggests that the more money you make, the more likely you are to work more. In other words, with more money at stake, you’re more likely to see time spent not working as a wasted opportunity.

Even if you’re aware that working too much may have negative consequences, it can be difficult to break the cycle. At that point working becomes something like an addiction.

There’s no easy solution to this problem. Like many addictions, workaholism can be tough to overcome. The first step, experts say, is to recognize and understand the problem. And then, sometimes with the aid of professional help, take steps to beat it.

加班坏处知多少？

在美国文化中，努力工作几乎总是被强调为一件不折不扣的好事。但是，工作是否可能太努力？答案当然是肯定的。

但工作太多的实际心理和身体后果却鲜为人知。根据大量研究，过度工作（通常定义为每周工作超过50小时）与身体健康状况下降以及抑郁等精神障碍密切相关。

现在，这里的科学并不精确。每周工作50小时或更长时间可能适合一些人，甚至可以改善身心健康。这取决于所讨论的人，以及所涉及的工作类型。

尽管如此，科学家们已经认识到一种叫做“时间分配理论”的现象，它基本上表明，你赚的钱越多，你工作的可能性就越大。换言之，随着更多的钱处于风险之中，你更有可能将不工作的时间视为浪费的机会。

即使你意识到工作过度可能会带来负面后果，也很难打破这种循环。在这一点上，工作就像一种上瘾。

这个问题没有简单的解决办法。像许多成瘾一样，工作狂很难克服。专家表示，第一步是认识和理解问题。然后，有时在专业帮助的帮助下，采取措施战胜它。