How to be a workaholic and not die

[bots2019]

How to be a workaholic and not die - Forbes.com - MSNBC.com

"These people are often compelled, and even excited, to be at work more than social situations, whether they enjoy what they do or not."

I'm speechless - I have no words.

 

[retire@40]

Robert Berman works 60 to 70 hours a week. When the 59-year-old communications consultant from Toronto is on one of his frequent business trips, he often “fails to acknowledge that it’s Friday” and works through the weekends for weeks at a time. He’s missed birthdays with his kids and anniversaries with his wife of 38 years. He even missed his daughter’s high school graduation.

What a sick man. I wonder if there is any medication he can take for that problem.

There are very strange people out there. I know a guy who went to work on the day he got married, didn't go far away from home for his honeymoon so he could go to work during his honeymoon. We are talking blue-collar work, nothing that couldn't wait 2 weeks.

It must be some kind of disease.

 

[tikitoast]

What a sick man. I wonder if there is any medication he can take for that problem.

There are very strange people out there. I know a guy who went to work on the day he got married, didn't go far away from home for his honeymoon so he could go to work during his honeymoon. We are talking blue-collar work, nothing that couldn't wait 2 weeks.

It must be some kind of disease.

I agree...a personality disorder at the very least.

(Tiki, child of a father who missed my high school graduation for a work thing. Bitter? Moi?)

 

[waltwill8]

I disagree,

When I was on a project, it was all consuming. Finishing, with good results, in half the time expected got me more consulting jobs, at greatly increased returns, with plenty of time off, in between. Since I was usually away from home, anyway, why not work. The alternative was watching tv in a motel, or going out to a bar. Not my preferred activities.

 

[travelover]

I disagree,

When I was on a project, it was all consuming. Finishing, with good results, in half the time expected got me more consulting jobs, at greatly increased returns, with plenty of time off, in between. Since I was usually away from home, anyway, why not work. The alternative was watching tv in a motel, or going out to a bar. Not my preferred activities.

When I was on product launches for MegaMotors, it was not unusual to work 18 hour days for weeks at a stretch. I hated it and don't feel guilty cashin' my pension check, now.

 

[bots2019]

I disagree,

When I was on a project, it was all consuming. Finishing, with good results, in half the time expected got me more consulting jobs, at greatly increased returns, with plenty of time off, in between. Since I was usually away from home, anyway, why not work. The alternative was watching tv in a motel, or going out to a bar. Not my preferred activities.

I think the difference is that workaholic types would rather be working than spending time with family/friends, and have no interest in 'plenty of time off'!

 

[Moemg]

My first husband was a workaholic .When he wasn't working he was telling me how he should be working .I even went to Lamaze classes by myself because he was working .

 

[stargazer08]

Work to a workaholic is like meth to a meth addict. Although it is not illegal to be a workaholic, it usually has the same affect as being a drug addict by ruining or straining your family relationships. I don't imagine that may people on their death beds wished they had worked more.

 

[Nords]

I even went to Lamaze classes by myself because he was working .

I'm not even touching that one with CFB's 10-foot pole...

(Nords, who attended every one of the Lamaze classes with his spouse, who almost supplied the practical evolution during the graduation.)

 

[thefed]

darn, at first glance i thought this article was about being an ALCOHOLIC without dying....sounded very interesting. workaholic isn't so cool.

 

[kcowan]

I ran across an interesting article in a PDF, which I summarized here:
Addiction, Workaholism and Fear
and I think that it not only acts as a deterrent to early retirement but also carries through to some retirees who do not feel fulfilled unless they have an active program each day...

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

mom was a workaholic-in-moderation. she loved to work & worked until disease stopped her. but also she loved family time, time with friends, party time and vacations. she didn't work to escape other social activity; work was just another aspect of socializing which she enjoyed at least as much as any other.

i never felt the way she did about work. i did admire her outlook and drive. but while she didn't keep busy to avoid social situations, she did keep herself busy, in part, to avoid loneliness and "too much" introspection.

people have often told me that i think too much which strikes me as such an odd thing to say to someone. but i do have to be careful not to get lost in my own thoughts. i'm not anti-social and, raised a latch-key kid with the house to myself, i was actually always the guy throwing the big parties. still, sometimes, i have to remind myself to participate in society, because i can be so lazy and so happy to just sit and think.