It seems like there's a lot of discussion about a person who worked overtime for 200 hours continuously over a period of 10 years. Based on my personal experience working at a certain company that gained notoriety in the "Black Company Employment Deviation Value Ranking," the most overtime hours I worked in a month was 232. However, from my personal experience in a world of overtime exceeding 200 hours:
- My mind became clouded, and my decision-making abilities significantly dulled.
- Thinking about complex matters became burdensome, and time that was spent on input activities like reading shifted to leisure activities like gaming for a change of pace.
- Even after sleeping, exhaustion remained.
- I became more irritable.
These states tended to become chronic. Indeed, various studies reveal that the brain functioning after 15 hours since waking is equivalent to impaired driving due to alcohol, and not getting enough sleep doesn't allow for recovery from mental fatigue. These findings align with what I experienced.
While extended periods of work might provide more experience, the accumulation of physical and mental fatigue increases the risk of overwork-related health issues. Individuals who can sustain such excessive work for many years are exceedingly rare and extraordinary. Comparing ourselves to such outliers or worrying about them isn't beneficial.
Additionally, even in cases of extended work hours, the endurance varies based on the mental stress involved and the rewards gained. Overtime that feels unbearable due to intense pressure and low compensation in an employee role might not be as detested by business owners or freelancers who see it as a means to increase their income through work they enjoy. Hence, it's acceptable for those in managerial positions to engage in it voluntarily, but imposing it on employees is absolutely wrong.
Personally, I belong to the group that believes "I am where I am today because of hard work," but only for a limited period until I established my own business. Since many people can thrive without relying solely on hard work, it's evident that extended work hours are not advisable and not something I would recommend.