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A Field Guide to the Workaholic
Brenda Goodman
How to help a workaholic loosen up.
A Case Study
"The doctor will see you now."
"One sec," I said. "I need to get this last sentence down."I had begged for an appointment because a scratch on my chin had become much more than a scratch. The lower half of my face was swollen to twice its normal size. I'd spiked fevers off and on all weekend.
But in spite of the fact that I was borderline septic, I had turned the doctor's waiting room into a temporary office, spreading books, papers and interview notes across three chairs. When the doctor came in, he asked me what I was writing. "An article about workaholics," I said. He raised an eyebrow. The irony of the situation finally struck me. I put my pen down.
"Workaholics are out of balance," says Bryan E. Robinson, a therapist in Asheville, North Carolina, and author of Chained to the Desk: A Guidebook for Workaholics, Their Partners and Children, and the Clinicians Who Treat Them. "They don't have many friends. They don't take care of themselves. They don't have any hobbies outside of the office. A hard worker will be at his desk, thinking about the ski slopes. A workaholic will be on the ski slopes thinking about his desk."
Natural Habitat: North America
Americans work almost 200 more hours every year than we did in 1970- that's about an extra month. According to Juliet B. Schor, an economist at Boston College in Massachusetts and author of the book The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure, putting in long hours isn't necessarily problematic. After all, the rewards of hard work-a fatter paycheck, bonus points with the boss, satisfaction from your accomplishments-abound. It's only when the daily grind eclipses other areas of your life that it's time to stop and rethink your schedule.
Paying attention to how you're feeling away from work may offer the best insight, says Robinson. On a scale from one to five, with five being most satisfied, rate your satisfaction with your family life, friendships, health and hobbies. If your total is less than 10 points, it might be time to cut back on work.
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