"Hard work never hurt anyone" is wrong

[kingkarmann]

I wrote “hard work depends on what side of the shovel you’re on”. It’s kind o f a smug, seemingly uniformed response.
I was married in my senior year of H.S. My daughter was 3 weeks old at my graduation (class of 77).
Needless to say I pretty much hit the grounfd running and took any and all opportunities to maximize the dollars I could make to support my new and immature family.
I really believed and obsessed about working as long and hard as I could to provide for my family. I felt I was already behind the proverbial 8-ball due to my early introduction to fatherhood.
This snowballed during our 15 years of marriage. I was constantly searching for bigger & better opportunities. This translated into long hard hours (retail mgmt. need I say more?)
I also accepted several geographical transfers that disrupted the stability of my family.
Yes, I worked hard and all I had to show for that chapter of my life was a divorce and missing some important times with my children. No do-overs

 

[EastWest Gal]

Ultimately it depends on which end of the shovel you are on

In Japan, people die from overwork. I imagine it happens here as well.

https://www.ehstoday.com/health/art...rnment-political-reporter-was-worked-to-death

 

[Asabino]

Nonsense! Hard work is what made (and STILL MAKES) America great, although I worry that we're becoming weak, lazy, and self-righteous, looking for shortcuts and being less willing to take personal responsibility for our actions (including accepting discipline and punishment when deserved). Nobody wants to hear it, but we've seriously got to TOUGHEN UP!!

I agree 100 percent!

 

[Gkk2001]

The old addage of hard work never hurt anyone dates back many decades and possibly centuries and related to a time when physical labor was the “work”. As we grow older, most of us now see the human body has physical limits just like any mechanical device. So pure hard work repetitive and overdone can in fact can hurt you. But the general mindset of working hard within reason no one can deny is good practice.

 

[Nick12]

Anyone who has raised a family , and or trying to maintain a marriage knows what hard work is.

 

[Old Microbiologist]

I certainly agree that working hard shortens your life somewhat. Take as an example having a long career in the military. I recall getting yelled at for my hearing loss (back when I was in my early 50's) for firing weapons without wearing hearing protection. I said to her "Lady it was in combat. You don't wear earplugs in combat!". She just stared at me with a complete loss of words as apparently, they didn't teach her about combat. Several years of live firing weapons like that does a number on you. The same for my back as I was Special Forces and kept my jump status even afterward. Lots of poor landings in real situations where it is dicey on landing or you land on a boulder or get dragged. I was also a helicopter pilot and the engine noise takes a toll as well plus gives you hemorrhoids from G-forces. The same for my laboratories wearing a self-contained positive pressure containment suit inside a containment suite for up to 12 hours at a time dealing with aerosol animal exposures using organisms with 100% lethality and zero treatments.

I know of no one who served any length of time in the military, especially in combat (which is a constant state of affairs). Sleep? What is that? Days off, what are those? Food? Go find some if you can. It is a lifestyle that wreaks havoc on a person's mind and body. I suppose I was lucky to have never gotten wounded from enemy fire. They got real close a few times but I understand well the idea of cover and concealment especially after a few rounds zip past your head. So, reading some of the harsh conditions at work comments is sort of funny to me.

 

[Nick12]

I certainly agree that working hard shortens your life somewhat. Take as an example having a long career in the military. I recall getting yelled at for my hearing loss (back when I was in my early 50's) for firing weapons without wearing hearing protection. I said to her "Lady it was in combat. You don't wear earplugs in combat!". She just stared at me with a complete loss of words as apparently, they didn't teach her about combat. Several years of live firing weapons like that does a number on you. The same for my back as I was Special Forces and kept my jump status even afterward. Lots of poor landings in real situations where it is dicey on landing or you land on a boulder or get dragged. I was also a helicopter pilot and the engine noise takes a toll as well plus gives you hemorrhoids from G-forces. The same for my laboratories wearing a self-contained positive pressure containment suit inside a containment suite for up to 12 hours at a time dealing with aerosol animal exposures using organisms with 100% lethality and zero treatments.

I know of no one who served any length of time in the military, especially in combat (which is a constant state of affairs). Sleep? What is that? Days off, what are those? Food? Go find some if you can. It is a lifestyle that wreaks havoc on a person's mind and body. I suppose I was lucky to have never gotten wounded from enemy fire. They got real close a few times but I understand well the idea of cover and concealment especially after a few rounds zip past your head. So, reading some of the harsh conditions at work comments is sort of funny to me.

Very true. I have friends and family that are current and retired military and on Wall Street. They would laugh if they heard some in the civilian world feel they are overworked.

 

[aghemphi]

hard work

A couple things I learned early in my career:

Army training: If you want something really bad, you will get it really bad.

My first boss, who was highly respected in our profession, while working late at night trying to find the complex errors: "After a while, you are digging holes and filling them up again. Go get some sleep."

 

[2177V]

Study probably did not factor in "stress". Stress is likely the cause of poor outcomes. People who handle stress well are likely to have better outcomes. This means taking vacations, watching your diet, getting exercises, socializing with friends and family, etc. Some people can handle working hard while other people can't. It really about knowing your limits. I had an opportunity to get promoted to a manager which I declined due to hard work and high stress of that job. lf you have a job that is low paying, high stress and forces you to work hard, then it is best to look for a better job. People can quit anytime if they are smart enough to take night or weekend classes to improve their job skills.
That is the path that I took when I did not like my job situation so I took night and weekend classes and got a better job. You can control your destiny.

 

[qwerty3656]

Whenever I told my kids that hard work never hurt anyone they would tell me how it killed John Henry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_(folklore)

 

[mickeyd]

director of the WHO's

Who is WHO? According to recent (and old) reports, it is a weak organization and often wrong. No thanks, I'll still continue to work hard.

 

[RetireeRobert]

"Hard work never hurt anyone." Well, I was working hard digging a hole and grabbing a five foot tall tree in a large container out of the SUV to plant in the hole. Sweating like all get out, very hard work.

I hurt myself! Still have a knot on th back side of my right shoulder. I think that is what gives me a cric on the right side of my neck from time to time.

 

[Nick12]

At my neighborhood Home Depot there are males that stand outside looking for anyone to hire them for many things manual labor. Some are undocumented. Many neighbors utilize their services and pay them cash for job finished.

 

[MRG]

My grandfather died at work in 1929.

 

[oldtrig]

My 1st cousin is 87 and still works 5 to 6 days a week. He loves what he does and no plans on slowing down. His health is good . He sure don't look his age.

He never had any hobbies other that working .

He is a very interesting man to chat with if I can ever get him to stop long enough to talk.


He sure don't do it for the money because he very well off. I sometimes wonder if he even knows he is that old