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Quants are notorious for working long hours so I when I saw a short piece on overworked and overstressed Americans earlier today on the "Russia Today" news network, that's whom I immediately thought of. Anyway, an excerpt from the transcript:
A new study finds the land of the free, has become the land of the overworked and stressed.
Psychologist, Peter Fraenkel, says the U.S. workforce is close to being burnt out.
"We've got a culture that doesn't know how to take a break and revive and renew and replenish. And overtime leads to burnout," Peter Fraenkel said.
... This type of work ethic has ignited a vacation shrinking syndrome in the U.S. In New York City, it seems like everyone is infected with the more-work mantra. Round the clock, any hour, the so-called rat race never stops. People are always on the go, most taking no time to recharge.
Statistics show Americans work more hours than any other nation, but receive the shortest vacations in the developed world. Averaging half the number most Europeans receive.
But all work and no play is backfiring. A study by the World Health Organization and Harvard Medical lists America at the top of the list of most depressed countries. The rising stress from no rest is making people sadder, sicker, less productive. Leading some to dub America - Prozac Nation.
U.S. government reports show antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the country. In the past decade the use of medications such as Prozac has nearly tripled.