Workaholism: Hazards and Benefits

Workaholism is spreading like a nasty disease. Are you a workaholic? I was until I realized I was killing myself for a company that cut human resources at every possible opportunity. My ex boss is a workaholic and as far as I can see, he does not have a very happy existence. I now work three days a week and very glad that I managed to escape !

Many of us grew up in families and societies where the Protestant work ethos was very strong. Leisure is idleness, work is a good thing but workaholism is the best ! If work for you is the driving force in your life and you have no time or interest in anything else, then you are probably a workaholic! But this addiction is not easily cured and I think it is rather like a terminal illness.

'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 hours 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.

How many companies do you know that have a workplace stress policy and actually put it into practice? Very few, I suspect and the sad fact is that workaholism is rewarded in companies and promotion is often the result. The problem for the company though, is that workaholism is an infectious disease and highly contagious. The management chain will demand more and more than is reasonable and productivity will suffer.

Faster promotion and high salaries are the carrots held out to the workaholic who needs to keep his adrenaline rush going and this is part of the addiction. Workaholics were surveyed recently and 38% claimed they were on $100,000 plus annually. Only 22% of people on lower salaries claimed they were stressed out or workaholics. The workaholic though has problems with his colleagues and is usually very poor at delegating work.

Stress and workaholism go hand in hand. The workaholic will suffer from a range of stress related illnesses which can be anything from panic attacks, ulcers, burnout and high blood pressure. Depression will rear its ugly head and can sometimes result in suicide. The workaholic is more and more dependent on his adrenalin rush. The final result is often a fatal illness such as a heart attack or stroke.

The number of divorces among workaholics is much higher than in any other category. Not surprising in that the workaholic cannot dedicate any time to the marriage. Family members are subject to depression and have a lower self esteem. The benefits of a higher salary may be considerable in having a good lifestyle but at what price?

The first step in coming to terms with workaholism is recognizing that there is a problem. Are you driven by work? Is your boss driving you too hard and you in turn are being affected by his/her disease? Time to decide what to do before you become another victim. Your family will thank you for it.

Robert Locke is an Internet Marketer specializing in Health, Wellness and Fitness. For Breaking News on the Wellness Front, visit his blog on :- http://thewellnessbible.blogspot.com Is Stress taking over your life? How can you deal with workaholism? Click on the link below. http://www.usfreeads.com/888270-cls.html