Workaholics

As extracted from an article on workaholic, "Death in the office" by Emilie Filou published in the World Business (Issue 4, July-August 2006) in association with INSEAD (The Business School for the World) :-

WHAT IS A WORKAHOLIC?

Common myths
- workaholics are always working (many are chronic procrastinators);
- workaholism affects only high-powered executives;
- it's only stress and can be 'managed' with stress-reduction techniques;
- no one has ever died of hard work;
- workaholism is profitable for corporations;
- workaholism is a positive addiction; and
- workaholics are super-productive!

Hmm. those are my thinking of a workaholic, anyway........

Actual characteristics
- multiple addictions;
- denial i.e first defence of any addictive process;
- self-esteem issues;
- dishonesty i.e exaggerated achievements and minimised failures;
- inability to relax;
- obsession i.e life centres around work; and
- isolation i.e no life outside work!

In both China and Korea, there are now words for 'death by overwork', guolaosi and gwarose, respectively. In US, workaholism has been recognised as a form of 'obsessive-compulsive behaviour' and in Japan, 'karoshi' is thought to kill nearly 1,000 people a year!

I am a workaholic! a phrase to describe 'addicted to work'! All workaholics work towards rewards except me. I am working in a listed Company and I am holding the most senior position. So there is no chance of me being promoted. While for monetary rewards, I do not expect any at the moment due to the Company is in the red for the past few years.

What am I doing now to my addiction and being burned (burn-out) alive? Hopefully, the wake-up call is not from my family problems!