When people work to much it can cut into personal relationships and create many problems. “Family relationships and friendships are often abandoned in favor of relationships with co-workers of other workaholics.” (Page 23) I feel that this statement relates to me because my father was a workaholic.
When I was a child my family did not have much money so my dad became a workaholic to try to give the family a better life. In the process of moving up in the company I lost touch with my father. I rarely saw him because he traveled extensively and was never home early. He always talked about how he hated the hours that he was working and that it would soon change. But soon turned into 5 years now, he is ahead in the company and staying home more. However, he has had to work hard and learn about his family all over again. He believes that even though being a workaholic did help make a better future he feels that he was left out of many experiences. He may have gained a better position but he gained it at the cost of his personal relationships.
I feel that sometimes people need to take a look back and attempt to think about how their work is affecting loved ones. They need to open their eyes and see some of the pain that being a workaholic can cause. If they are able to do this then they should be able to level out the work load and try to separate work from family and friends.
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I understand what you are saying about how people think that in order to reach their goals in the workforce they must become these workaholics, and eventually, just as you pointed out it damages the relationships in that person's life. what is sad about the society that we live in today is that alot of people out there think that their job defines who they are..but it shouldn't. Growing up, I was always disapointed when you parents would tell me that I couldn't do a certain activity with friends, or have specific materialists--their reason was because, "we are broke." Up until about a year ago I was constantly saying that I wanted to succeed in my career, because I want to be able to have alot of money for myself, and for my kids. However, I was able to grasp ahold of a whole new concept on life which changed my view. I no longer care about how much money I make, I just want to wake up every day and enjoy what it is that I am doing in my life. And that goes for career wise, and with the relationships that I have in my life. I now have the idea that life is all about the relationships that we have with people.
ReplyDeleteThe life of a workaholic can be tough... when you weigh out the pros and cons of what it costs to get ahead sometimes. It's kind of unfortunate some of the things you sacrifice in order to "be comfortable or well off for the future" but it has kind of become the norm in every company/career that you have to pay your dues (at least in the corporate world).
ReplyDeleteBut most people, or parents that are workaholics do miss out on a lot if they have families. I think it's more of a thing in the past to think that it's only financial security that can make a family or person happy, when in fact we are learning it takes more than that-- it takes personal relationships to feel complete which have more worth than monetary value...
Workaholism is especially difficult to combat in a work culture such as that one that pervades Silicon Valley, where working 80-100 hours/week is a badge of honor. Still, if work is fun and many of your social relationships are also work relationships, is working long hours a sign of workaholism? I admit I work every day. But on the days I don't go to SJSU, I usually spend 2-3 hours outside going for walks with my dog. Or I might take a shorter walk and then take a tour around the neighborhood on my bicycle. Or maybe do some yardwork. So my preference is to mix work and play each each, rather than save play only for the weekends. Also, I really like what I do. Teaching, researching, writing, working with colleagues--for the most part, it's fun.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the competitiveness that we are socialized with, many Americans internalize the notion of a workaholic being a good thing. Although there is nothing wrong with taking pride in your work and wanting to be the best you can be at it. However, when your work becomes an obsession, the consequences can be grave. For instance, when my father informed us about a possible promotion he would received he also informed us that he would be busy studying for exam he needed to pass in order to be promoted. In the proceeding month, I could see a change in his persona. He was so focused on getting the promotion and being the best employee he could be that he just fixated on studying for his exam. In doing so, he became distant, easily annoyed and was constantly tired. It was not until I made him realize what his obsession was doing that he stepped back and took a brake. He told me that he was so focused on the exam because he knew what a raise would signify. Luckily, my father went back to being who he was before his obsession began and he did infact receive the promotion he sought.
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