I used to be a workaholic but then I saw the light when my health started to suffer and I got out in time ! My ex boss was and still is a workaholic - he is still alive -only just -and his wife does not see much of him! I now work three days a week and am not exactly rich but I enjoy a stress free existence.
Workaholism is like any addiction which is a human weakness. It is also an illness. The term workaholism should not be confused with hard work which is very strong in the Protestant ethos . Leisure is idleness, toil is good and workaholism is the best ! When do you have to start worrying if you are a workaholic? It is when work becomes an obsession and the main, or only, driving force in your life ! It is rather like a fatal progressive disease and like any other addiction it gets a stronger and stronger hold.
'Get a life' is a common expression and really it should be on every workaholic's desk! I had another boss who scouted the office occasionally to find staff working too long houirs and would suggest that they go home ! He was able to demonstrate that he had time for his family and loved ones and that another life existed outside his company office.
It is a sad fact of life that the society we live in rewards workaholism with promotion and other carrots. But the damage caused by workaholism in the workplace cannot be understimated. The stress caused by this disease spreads to colleagues and is extremely infectious. For example, how many companies have a workplace stress policy ? Not many, I guess. Productivity suffers because the tierder the workers become, the less they produce.
And still the workaholics are the ones rewarded with higher salaries in many companies and are on the fast track for promotion. Big salaries are the carrot - 38% of people who earn over $100,000 annually said that they were workaholics. That compares very unfavourably with those who had lower salaries - only about 23%. The adrenaline rush needs to be kept going and what better and more rewarding way than to go for the top jobs where they can feed their habit. Generally they have difficulty in delegating work.
Look at the medical check up for a workaholic. Not only will they most likely have ulcers, anxiety attacks and depression which may lead to suicide but they will also suffer from burnout and a range of stress disorders. The problem is that workaholics are dependant on the adrenaline which they need in greater and greater doses. Often they are taken out by a heart attack, a stroke or some other really serious illness.
Workaholics' families suffer too. The rate of divorces and separations are much higher among this category. They have a much lower self esteem and are prone to depression. It has often been pointed out that families can enjoy the benefits of a higher standard of living and a more comfortable lifestyle but at what price ?
Does all this sound familiar to you ? Maybe your stress is caused by workaholism or maybe you are being stressed out by a workaholic boss. It really is time to take this in hand before it takes you out and members of your family will take the brunt as well.
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