Show Comics The Herald Journal Classifieds Logan Utah Thursday April 5 1984 Living Barbara Stinson Lee correspondent By Among the many obsessions plaguing society today are those which make us over-ea- t over-drin- k over-exerci- over- and uncountable But other “overs” which we can over-d- o k face a set those who are driven to of problems all their own For the true “workaholics” the obsession is with career work and success At any time of the day or night the workaholic can be found at the desk at the workbench or in the field Salaried workaholics put in hundreds of hours of overtime which are essentially volunteer hours They don’t enjoy vacations They don’t cope well with retirement and sudden unemploy emt can be a real trauma for them They miss meals to attend bus' ness meetings miss sleep to put in 14 hour days and strive to be more productive today than can’t they were yesterday Their kick them out of the office And industries love them “Business and industry today reward workaholics with increased incomes power and prestige” said Dr Glen 0 Jenson extension specialist and head of the Department of Family and Human Development at Utah State University “And a workaholic can have a real propensity for those rewards There are workaholics in hobby over-tal- k over-slee- p over-wor- every field” Jenson points out that there are hundreds gimmicks out now which feed the workaholics’ habits Designed largely to help a worker become more effective management tricks motivational philosophies and competitions are all ways to make workers take their work with them Businesses provide phones for their employees’ cars so they can negotiate deals at every red light They hang beepers on their workers’ belts to provide instant communication at any time of the day or night And workaholics love them True workaholics Jenson said love their jobs “There ought to be a different term for those who really love their work” Jenson said “But society just hasn’t found one yet of The word ‘workaholic’ has a negetive concept because of its similarity to ‘alcoholic’ Workaholics are addicted to work yes but unlike the alcoholic they are loving every minute of it They live to work rather than work to live They can’t wait to get to work like some people can’t wait to get out on the golf course” “Basically addiction to work for some is no more an obsession than swimming or jogging is for others” he said “Some may be insecure and have low self concepts but real workaholics are generally happy productive people Recent research points out that workaholics actually increase productivity” According to Jenson workaholism is more a male phenomenon than a female one but women who work outside the home have great potential u be workaaoucs too “We’re conditioning boys to be workaholics" he said “And yet women are also now competing for higher level positions Often a woman will work a full productive competitive day and then go home and still have a house and family to take care of Males though have not contributed to the g domestic and duties as we once He would” calls housewives thought they and mothers who work a largely unstudied group of workaholics Many personalities are workaholics They are more assertive and demanding They meet their deadlines But while many personalities suffer from poor health as a result of their drive true workaholics often boast higher energy levels feel more invigorated and often live longer because they enjoy what they’re doing “The ideal personality is about a Jenson said There’s a big difference between being a workaholic and simply working long hours at a job which is not enjoyable for whatever reason While about one third of the work force works more than 50 hours per week only about five percent are true workaholics “People who just work long hours usually slow down when their needs are met and they really enjoy their days off” Jenson said “But a true workaholic will still go to work when the power is out” But while society and industry rewards the workaholic families and often despair of them Because of the long hours workaholic parents often find that there is little time left for nurturing They rarely share housework or family duties and they often leave little time for socializing “Society doesn’t reward fathers or husbands but they do reward presidents of companies A family trying to cope will use the term ‘workaholic’ long before the worker uses Jenson said “Spouses of workaholics have to find interests on their own without their mates Workaholics make a conscious choice It’s a matter of priorities They opt for more work skills and less time for recreation and family The ideal situation would be not to marry a workaholic at all” And a workaholic supervisor has a proto keep up the pensity to expect it” same pace “The ‘publish or perish’ philosophy in Colleges and Universities promotes workaholics” Jenson added “Some faculty members set their expectations pretty high Others don’t care to be that productive It’s difficult for the less productive ones to compete” While workaholism carries with it a built-i- n Jenson says that risk of stress and burn-ou- t it depends on an individual’s enjoyment of the job Rather than feeling burned out a workaholic will more often feel revitalized by their job “If you’re happy at it and you play and play at work you can have good health” Jenson said “It’s good to promote a balance between work and play If you enjoy the work like the rewards and don’t want much family life it’s a pretty good lifestyle” child-rearin- Citing Marilyn Malcovich's "Workaholics: Living With Them" Or Glen O Jenson extension specialist and head of the Department of Family and Human Development lists to attributes of a true workaholic He says if you can answer 'yes' to eight out of TO of these I questions you are a workaholic : 1 Do you get up early? ing lunch do you read or work? B” make daily fists? 4 Do you find it difficult to do nothing? jfAre you energetic and competitive? 6 Do you work on week-end- s 7 8 9 10 and hoi idays? Can you work anywhere and anytime? Do you find vacations hard to take? Do you enjoy vrk? 00 you dread retirement? I sL |