Working late every night? Not going out as much you would like (if at all)? Sacrificing relationships with friends and family to put in extra hours at the office? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a workaholic according to a USA Today article. In today’s world of Blackberries and non-stop networking, it can be nearly impossible to get away from work – you can work in the car, the restaurant, or even the bathtub. As such, workaholism has become a legitimate problem for some.
The article defines a workaholic, or an ‘extreme worker’ as someone who works “60 hours or more a week” and is accustomed to “unpredictable work flow, fast-paced work under a tight deadline, a large number of subordinates and a lot of travel”. But is there really anything wrong with working too hard? Experts say yes—as the 9 a.m. –5 p.m. day becomes a 7 a.m.–9 p.m. day, overworked people have less time to exercise and sleep, are more prone to burnout and anxiety and fall out of touch with their children and spouses.
So although the pressures and excitement of a heavy workload can be satisfying and lead to a sense of accomplishment, remember that working too hard can have negative effects and that balance in life is an achievement in itself.
Posted by Grant Thomas on June 5, 2007 08:40 AM
