How do you tell if your job is affecting your mental health?

The vast majority of individuals can probably think of around one million activities that, on any given day, they would prefer to be doing instead of coming to work. Even those of us who really like what we do for a livelihood need to sometimes treat ourselves to a day off in order to refresh our batteries, clear our minds, and relax our bodies. What if, though, going back to work causes you to feel ill in ways that you are unable to articulate?

The Depression Center at the University of Michigan estimates that anywhere from 2 percent to 4 percent of employees in the United States suffer from depression, and that up to 50 percent of those workers have short-term impairment as a result of their condition. Depression results in a loss of productivity for companies that exceeds $44 billion yearly. It is estimated that around 81 percent of that is related to a worker's lower performance on the job as a result of their symptoms.

Because these impacts are extremely real, it is crucial for both you and your manager to determine whether or not your employment is the source of your depression or any other mental health concerns you may be experiencing.

The following are some indications that your employment may be having an impact on your mental health.

You find that you are unable to rise and shine in the morning.

On occasion, we all have mornings when we wake up feeling too drained or ill to gather the will to drag ourselves out of bed and go to work. On the other hand, if you find that you are experiencing more and more days like this, it is possible that your body is reacting negatively to the stressful nature of your working environment.

In a piece for Psychology Today, workplace expert and author Lynn Taylor, who is also the author of the book "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," suggests that if the thought of going to work every morning makes you unable to move, you should think about taking some time off, and perhaps even be looking for a new job.

You have the impression that you are required to reply to messages and emails related to business at all times.

There is a widespread expectation among employers that workers will reply to emails both after work and on weekends. According to Business News Daily, a study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management in 2016 found that "employers damage their employee's well-being and work-life balance and weaken their job performance when they create expectations that work-related emails should be monitored and responded to during non-work hours." This finding was based on the finding that "employers weaken their employee's job performance when they create expectations that work-related emails should be monitored and responded to during non-work hours."

It is essential to have set non-working hours in order to have time to enjoy life outside of work, regardless of whether you are hired by a business or work for yourself.

You do not take any breaks while you are on the job.

It's possible that you won't have the opportunity to take a break throughout the course of your workday if you have a lot of material built up on your desk or if you have multiple meetings booked one after the other. However, working through your breaks is detrimental to your mental health and should be avoided.

Emily Hunter, PhD, and Cindy Wu, PhD, associate professors of management at the Baylor University Hankamer School of Business, found in a study that was conducted in 2015 that not only taking breaks but taking "better breaks" can lead to improved health as well as increased job satisfaction among workers. Taking a number of shorter breaks more often beginning in the middle of the morning is generally recommended in place of taking just one or two longer breaks.

You don't engage in conversation with your employees.

Amy Morin, author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," said in an interview with Business Insider that if your job is mentally exhausting, you may start to reject away social possibilities with coworkers. Morin is the author of the book "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do." This may be as easy as deciding to have your lunch alone at your desk rather than joining other coworkers in the break room or restaurant. If you are too worn out to interact with other people, particularly those who are in the same working environment as you, this may be an indication that your employment is having a negative impact on your mental health.

One strategy for overcoming these sentiments is to put in the effort to get acquainted with one's coworkers. According to Adam Grant, a writer to the New York Times and a professor of business and psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the most gratifying occupations are ones that allow possibilities to develop connections.

You get the impression that you may be fired at any moment.

Uncertainty over one's employment status is a major contributor to both stress and anxiety. Researchers Sarah Burgard and Lucie Kalousova from the University of Michigan and Kristin Seefeldt from Indiana University found that employees who did not have job security were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for major or minor depression than employees who felt secure in their careers. This was in contrast to employees who felt secure in their careers and who did not have a higher risk of developing depression.

If you work for a firm that is going through layoffs, you should start updating your CV as soon as possible. You may also think about picking up some freelance work on the side to add to your current income. Having a savings cushion on hand might make changing jobs considerably less of a hassle and reduce the amount of stress you feel.

You beat yourself up for having to go to work.

Some businesses engage in activities that raise serious questions about their morality and ethics. If the company you work for engages in activities that are detrimental to the environment, manufactures goods that are hazardous to consumers, or fails to provide a safe working environment for all of its workers, you may find that your personal belief system is challenged there. Your mental health will suffer as a consequence of this in the long run.

Anne Fisher, an author and business advice writer for Fortune, argues that if you are contemplating leaving your job due to ethical issues, you are acting in the appropriate manner. She spoke with Janice Ellig, the co-CEO of Chadick Ellig, an executive search agency located in Manhattan. Ms. Ellig noted that unethical action on the part of a corporation will, in most instances, become public knowledge.