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The Return to Slavery
Recent researches in this field found that workaholics are usually controlling people. They are not very good at being team players, they are perfectionists who would rather handle everything by themselves and many of them have trouble in personal relationships.
Other researches found that workaholics are at a higher risk for divorce, their children suffer from higher rates of depression and anxiety, and they themselves suffer more then others from health problems caused by high levels of stress. They often eat poorly, don't exercise, and don't take very good care of their physical and emotional health.
Although it seems being a workaholic is not a trait we should aspire to many people still take pride in themselves for being this way, and many organizations prefer this type of employee. Just the other day I opened the newspaper and read: "Wanted - Workaholic Engineer", as if it was a desired skill.
"Hard work is a modern concept, and is still highly appreciated in most work places", says Israeli career and life coach, Tony Segal. "Our society regards work as a source of self definition, which is supposed to bring us pride and financial benefits. No wonder so many people enslave themselves to their jobs, even when the burden and personal price is so high".
"The blaming finger", adds Segal, "should be pointed not at the employees but at the organizations and corporations of our times, especially in Hi Tech. Our economy is based upon modern slavery. People are tempted by high salaries, benefits and praise to give up their sleeping hours, leisure time and freedom - sometimes even their identity. When they are young they think they can make a lot of money and then retire, but when they reach their 40's they are afraid to stop, not believing they'll be able to survive outside the large organization or be able to maintain a high income - so they stay put".
Can you stop now?
Anyone can stop being a slave to his or her job and career, says Segal. All you have to do is taking a few simple steps:
1. Recognize your problem: The first step is to recognize and admit you are working too hard, perhaps using your job to avoid intimacy or self development.
2. Make time to relax. Once you admit you have a problem, start scheduling time to relax and play. Focus on ways to experience happiness, satisfaction and well being such as personal relationships, parenthood, or a new hobby that offers a complete diversion from work.
3. Learn to delegate. In order to have more time on your hands learn to delegate. No one can do everything on his or her own anyway. If you let go some of your load and delegate it to others, you'll find that not only do you have more time to yourself but the work is done more easily and efficiently.
4. Have some fun. Your job is not you, neither is your role nor your profession. It is merely something you do. If there's no fun in it anymore, even after you have relieved some of the workload, maybe it's not worth all the benefits. Life is too short to waste on doing things that wear you down. Get out of this rut now!
<back
Recent researches in this field found that workaholics are usually controlling people. They are not very good at being team players, they are perfectionists who would rather handle everything by themselves and many of them have trouble in personal relationships.
Other researches found that workaholics are at a higher risk for divorce, their children suffer from higher rates of depression and anxiety, and they themselves suffer more then others from health problems caused by high levels of stress. They often eat poorly, don't exercise, and don't take very good care of their physical and emotional health.
Although it seems being a workaholic is not a trait we should aspire to many people still take pride in themselves for being this way, and many organizations prefer this type of employee. Just the other day I opened the newspaper and read: "Wanted - Workaholic Engineer", as if it was a desired skill.
"Hard work is a modern concept, and is still highly appreciated in most work places", says Israeli career and life coach, Tony Segal. "Our society regards work as a source of self definition, which is supposed to bring us pride and financial benefits. No wonder so many people enslave themselves to their jobs, even when the burden and personal price is so high".
"The blaming finger", adds Segal, "should be pointed not at the employees but at the organizations and corporations of our times, especially in Hi Tech. Our economy is based upon modern slavery. People are tempted by high salaries, benefits and praise to give up their sleeping hours, leisure time and freedom - sometimes even their identity. When they are young they think they can make a lot of money and then retire, but when they reach their 40's they are afraid to stop, not believing they'll be able to survive outside the large organization or be able to maintain a high income - so they stay put".
Can you stop now?
Anyone can stop being a slave to his or her job and career, says Segal. All you have to do is taking a few simple steps:
1. Recognize your problem: The first step is to recognize and admit you are working too hard, perhaps using your job to avoid intimacy or self development.
2. Make time to relax. Once you admit you have a problem, start scheduling time to relax and play. Focus on ways to experience happiness, satisfaction and well being such as personal relationships, parenthood, or a new hobby that offers a complete diversion from work.
3. Learn to delegate. In order to have more time on your hands learn to delegate. No one can do everything on his or her own anyway. If you let go some of your load and delegate it to others, you'll find that not only do you have more time to yourself but the work is done more easily and efficiently.
4. Have some fun. Your job is not you, neither is your role nor your profession. It is merely something you do. If there's no fun in it anymore, even after you have relieved some of the workload, maybe it's not worth all the benefits. Life is too short to waste on doing things that wear you down. Get out of this rut now!
<back
