There’s an article in the Journal of Business Ethics (2009) 84: 167-172 reviewing the increasingly popular topic of over-working. It’s made us wonder: what’s the real difference between work enthusiasts and workaholics, and can that difference be maintained?
Do passions burn out? Can drive dwindle? Will high flying career guys/gals eventually land and realize they’re no longer passionate, but instead pressurized? How do you get unstuck from this? These are big questions, and certainly they go beyond what can be covered in a blog, but I’d like to chew it over anyhow.
Workaholics: tied to the hours, can’t bring themselves to leave the office, booking overtime and hardly making it home to have dinner before it’s time to crash into bed. Their work is their life, and those bills need to be paid.
Work Enthusiasts: love the job, love the people, and love the challenge. Their lives are their work; so what if other aspects suffer? Work and personal mix with after-hours drinks, business dinners and conference weekends.
The biggest difference here is investment and enthusiasm. But keep this in mind: whether you’re a workaholic or a work enthusiast – sleep deprivation, neglecting family, and not listening to your body’s needs will, eventually, strike back against you. So whether you love your job, or it just pays the bills, we suggest you take steps now to ensure you can continue without burning out.
Here are a few ideas:
Are you a workaholic or work enthusiast? Is your love for the job still strong – if so, how do you maintain that? What tips can you give for a healthy work-life balance?
We’d love to hear your thoughts.
If you want to read the journal article on overworking you can find it through this link. But if that doesn’t work, go into Google Scholar and search “burke working to live”.
To your potential!
Dr Marcelle.
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The Intention Experiment with Lynn McTaggert
I often see colleagues working past their paid hours, ‘finishing one last thing’ before they leave. And twenty minutes later they’re finally out the door (with no overtime given). It’s crazy. Work is work from 9-6, but afterward priorities switch. I love my job, but since I have the luxury of leaving it behind once the clock strikes, I take it. That ‘one last thing’ will be there in the morning.
I like what Eric says about knowing your priorities.
When I was younger, I was a workaholic for a number of reasons:
a) I lacked self confidence in my own abilities and thought that the people around me were better than me, so I worked harder to compensate;
b) I was a perfectionist and didn’t know how to let less important tasks slide;
c) I worked in an environment where working extra hours without compensation was expected and demanded;
d) I had a bully for a boss and my colleagues and I were too naïve to confront her.
Now that I am older, wiser and have made choices in my life which suit my values and personality, I am now a “work enthusiast” in many aspects of my life. The key is to be able to set priorities and boundaries and adhere to them. I am enthusiastic about my work, my volunteering, my family life, my hobbies and my own personal time.
Going to Dr. Marcel Forget’s and Dr. Tony Brunelle’s annual “Ultimate Wake Up” workshop (http://www.ultimatewakeup.com/) has been a great way to learn how to discover, plan and follow through with my priorities. I highly recommend this workshop and have already signed up for the one in November 2010.