People should listen to their bodies and recognise when they need rest as prolonged overwork can lead to burnout and reduced efficiency, former WHO chief scientist and health ministry advisor Soumya Swaminathan has said. While intense work for short periods is possible, as seen during COVID-19, it is not sustainable in the long run, she told PTI in an interview. Swaminathan stressed that productivity depends more on work quality than hours spent. Asked about the impact of long working hours on human health, the former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) told PTI: "I know a lot of people who work very hard. So, I think it is an individual thing and your body tells you when you are tired, so then you also have to listen to your body. You can really work hard, let's say for a few months. During COVID, we all did that, right? But could we have continued that for years together? I am not sure." "For those two-three years, we did it. We did not sleep much. W