Career Chaos is Killing Women (and Men)

Women, who have always lived longer than men in the past, are now dying younger than before.

Men die 10 years earlier than Women and NOW the Female Life Span is falling!
Is this work world now killing both men and women alike?

workplace_killerWomen who have highly demanding jobs are 38 percent more likely to have heart problems than those in less stressful positions, according to new findings from the Women’s Health Study.

Generally, women have always lived longer than men by at least 10 years. The researcher that I am, I began to ask questions of my male clients and several psychologists and MDs: “Are you aware that, as a male, you will live at least ten years less than the average female?” The men consistently responded, “Oh, I know that.”

I then asked them, “Have you ever asked yourself what creates this death a decade sooner because you are a male?” Not one has answered “Yes, I’ve wandered”! As a matter of fact, they said they had never thought of it! Certainly, if I were a male, I would be going after the answer!!

Based on my more than three decades of consulting with adults unhappy in their workplace, I firmly believe this earlier death has been created by the work world and its expectations that men have been firmly trained to meet. This was not for women since they were not in the work world until recent decades. In other words, I suspect the traditional work world contributed to earlier deaths for men! It is documented that American workers are more productive and work longer than other industrialized nations. Americans average 49.5 weeks per year of work, while Japanese work 3.5 weeks less, British 6.5 weeks less and Germans 12.5 weeks less per year.

I recently read the headline “Female Life Spans Falls in Many Areas: Death Rate Higher for Women 75 and Under in Half of US Countries”. My question is since women over the last two decades have entered the traditional work world in masses, has it affected their mortality rate? According to an article in the Dallas Morning News (3/20/13) the study found “compelling evidence that the life expectancy for some US women is actually falling – a disturbing trend that experts can’t explain.”

It found that women 75 and younger are dying at higher rates than in previous years in nearly half the countries in the US, particularly in the south and west. For men, however, at the same time, life expectancy has held steady or improved. Some blame higher smoking rates, obesity and less education but several experts say they simply don’t know why.

My original thinking that much of the work world experienced today is a major contribution to earlier deaths. Some believe the cause of earlier death for women may be:

  1. Work place with high stress
  2. Double shifts – work at home and in the office or factory
  3. Weak economy and Poor healthcare

Until the research by the Woman’s Health Study, no one had researched and written that it could relate to long hours in stressful work places that perhaps provide no meaning or purpose.

Another study two years ago led by Washington’s Christopher Murray, also found women dying sooner than men. He also noted higher smoking rates and suggested that that abuse of Oxycodone and other drugs may be the problem.

From decades of meeting and talking with unhappy clients, I believe that for men the former workplace of 30 years and the typical retirement, then sent home to die with a gold watch, contributed to countless who die within two years after retiring. Maybe this is changing in our current workplace and the men are living longer, which makes it seem like the women are dying younger. It is more likely unfortunately and according to recent research women entering the workplace in masses is dying younger and men’s death rate hasn’t changed that. Whichever it is, we need to stop it!

The secret to having a long life is no longer finding the fountain of youth, but finding the purpose you can pursue with passion, which will be your fountain of youth! Live long and die fast is my motto.

What do you think? Comment below.