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Health

Burnout - The Truth About Work

April 6, 2022

Why do we work, and why are we working more than ever? Overwork is damaging our lives and the planet. This film takes a look at the past and also asks how we can change the future of work.

https://p.dw.com/p/48oTO
Symbolbild WHO Studie Lange Arbeitswoche erhöht das Risiko tödlicher Erkrankungen
Image: Robin Utrecht/picture alliance

Why do we feel pressure to be busy, and where did this pressure come from? Some answers lie with the influences of the church, monarchies, 15th-16th Century colonialism and the effect of industrialization on modern-day consumerism and work ethics.

Frau Büro Yoga
Image: Colourbox

Faced with the widespread problem of burnout, many modern companies respond with "mindfulness" in the workplace. Unions and the fight for labor justice are being replaced by therapies and office yoga. And yet, people who are unemployed are worse off than those with jobs — why? 

DW Made in Germany 22.12.2020
Image: DW


Predictions that digitalization would make people’s work easier and that machines and artificial intelligence would replace us as workers don’t seem to add up. After all, the priority of automation is not to give people more freedom, but to make production more efficient and therefore increase profits.

So how can we free ourselves from the vicious cycle of overwork and consumerism, and learn to relax again?

 

Broadcasting Hours: 

DW English

FRI 29.04.2022 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 29.04.2022 – 04:15 UTC
FRI 29.04.2022 – 18:15 UTC
SAT 30.04.2022 – 12:15 UTC
SAT 30.04.2022 – 15:15 UTC
SUN 01.05.2022 – 19:15 UTC
MON 02.05.2022 – 09:15 UTC

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DW Deutsch+

MON 02.05.2022 – 09:15 UTC

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