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IMO, it doesn't help that hard work is so elevated in this country to the point of saintliness, not realizing that alcoholics and workaholics wear the same clothes!
Alcoholics have AA, and where's the help for the workaholic? A WA program? And if it exists, how many use it? And how many recognize the fact they have a problem? And have you ever known someone who was forced into this program, like we do the alcoholic or drug user?
The workaholics I know don't even realize they have a problem!
Growing up with a Father, who owned his own business, a 7-day job, you might say I never had father! I was fatherless!
And like alcoholism, it can be a disease which can be passed on their offspring! My brother works 7 days a week, just like my father! My sister and myself, at times, have also been effected by it!
In the nursing field, and surprising/shockingly the health care field, I work with too many of them. Dead beat tired, offer them the chance to work a double shift, they'll jump at the chance, repeatedly! And we're talking about people who don't need the money!
What's been your experience with workaholics? Ever sat down with them and pointed out they have a problem? Or are you too much in awe of their boundless ambition?
I have been told I was a workaholic. However, when you have a business to run, and the economy has made your margins lower, you do things to preserve what you worked hard for. If I chose to hire more employees, I would never get the quality of work that I do. I saved money by taking on the responsibility, but I was able to hold on and prosper, while others lost it all. Unfortunately it effected my marriage, and I found more satisfaction running a company, than preserving a bad relationship. It made it much easier to work 14-16 hours, seven days a week.
It's ironic, that as soon as we finalized, that I hired 4 more employees, and had no problem assigning responsibility to them. I guess I created a need to be a workaholic, to avoid conflict and to have the money ready, to buy her out of my life. There are instances where overtime shouldn't be offered to some. Because of the type of work they do, being alert, and able to think clearly is the most important. DOT mandates the amount of time a truck driver or ship's captain can operate, and that's 12 hours. I would imagine that the same reasons for concern should effect other fields as well.
When you are responsible for people's lives, having a fatigued employee becomes a liability. I've seen doctors and nurses at hospitals work long shifts. I've also witnessed those nurses cut corners, such as not being as careful with contamination, as they should. It's a disservice to allow double shifts with health care workers, they become a liability to the hospital, and the level of care isn't as high as when they are alert. I wonder how many fatal mistakes have been made when some ER doctor or nurse is on the last leg of a double shift. Maybe if they regulated their hours, we could cut the number of HAI's (hospital related infections), around 1.7 million a year, which lead to 100,000 deaths. Bearing witness to one of those 100K, I can only hope it was fatigue, and not poor sterilization practices by said professionals.
In the 13 years where I've worked, 2 nurses, having worked double shifts, fell asleep at the wheel on their way home, luckily no one was injured or killed in the accidents!
Many have gotten into a spot, due to buying a more expensive car or house then they need, they're now forced into working double shifts, as many hours as they can bear to work, and in the mean time, depriving others looking for work!
Ironically, the ones who should be working double shifts are the ones that have no appetite for it! Somehow they've miraculously learned to live/exist on what they're paid.
Luckily, my house is paid off, no mortgage/car payments either, so I've cut down to just 4 days a week! At work, I tend to avoid the more workaholic members as the conversations are too limited, for me, mostly shop talk!
I asked one workaholic at work why she's working so many hours every week, and? I get too bored staying at home! I start climbing the walls!
^ I know what you mean Tij, especially about in healthcare and human services!
There is another thread right now about people who "use alcohol" not being "present" for their children. Well what about people who are actually LITERALLY NOT PRESENT for their kids!
My mom worked in a hospital and she was the only NON drinker in the fam. But the intense rush she got from "scoring" an overtime shift was crazy. I remember her literally dancing around the room when she scored double shifts! (Fine by me because she was an awful mom when home anyway.)
I think many factors are involved. The money, the THOUGHT of money, work being the only social interaction some people get, the guilt/shame of NOT working or "being productive," and trying to avoid/escape something.
From a reformed "workaholic" i can tell you that I've overworked due to all the reasons above at dif times in my life. I will also add a job that is new and the novelty of it. I also always worked in a healthcare high adrenaline atmosphere so that was part of it at times.
But also, I think it's little coincidence that i saw a parent be happy as a workaholic. I saw that as "normal."
And really, in the USA it IS normal, so I don't see anyone coming to help anyone work LESS anytime soon.
My fave memory on this subject is me being ~22 and at a staff meeting at a day program for MR adults. A lot of the staff also did OT at group homes. The director made an announcement that "in [my then state] we found out it is illegal to do over 40 hours of overtime in one week, so those who did this week will be getting paid on their next check."
At the time, I was not one of those people because I just moved in w a bf and liked spending time w him. And also, the "residents" were combative and assaultive and it wasn't worth barely above min wage + half that to be kicked and bitten. (I am an admitted adrenaline junkie but fearing for my life is not my thing. People might be surprised at home many people really got off on the danger though- mostly girls of very tiny stature in their early 20s!)
Years later, when my bf moved out, I did A LOT of OT because I had nothing else to do and was trying to avoid being alone.
There was a co-worker who worked one 40 at one facility, another 40 at another facility (back to back) plus overtime. She was told by the Director, having accumulated 3 weeks of vacation pay, to take 3 weeks off, mandatory!
And what does she do on her 3 weeks off? She joined an temp agency and worked there for the 3 weeks!
And? Our strong work ethic society? "What's wrong with that? She loves to work!"
Another co-worker works the 2 40's at 2 different facilities, a very sociable person, and it's the socialization, as he can't stand being alone or doing anything alone.
^ Yup. I've known multiple people who've worked TWO full time 40 hrs per week jobs in healthcare. And I've interacted w them when they were obviously drop dead tired and probably a liability to be working.
On a related note, I've been targeted by managers for calling in sick due to getting no sleep the night before due to insomnia issues. Bosses have gotten EXTREMELY upset with me over this.
Never mind that me being chronically fatigued may hurt patients, i also have a history of being in car accidents due to lack of sleep!
USA needs serious reform in the work/sleep department and I don't think I will see them in my lifetime.
I was a workaholic for 30 years. I averaged 60-80 hours a week 6-7 days a week. This was my choice so I don't understand any one thinking a workaholic needs help. I had a few years that I only had a few days off. When the end of the year came up and the company said to take vacation or lose it I would just keep working and lose the vacation.
If a person thinks they are going to get rich by an activity, the brain rewards them. Some people wear diapers when they play slot machines, They know if they think they are wining they will soil themselves rather than get up. Ponzi and pyramid schemes take advantage these people.
I just watched the show "Inside Job" and a researcher said making money activates the same receptors in the brain that cocaine does. I am old enough to know a number of people in their sixties and over who threw away everything believing they are going to be rich one day. Sometimes it’s not the work that drives people but thinking too much about getting ahead.
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