Are you a workaholic?

The secret is out.

It is in the newspapers. It is on the radio. It is on television. Now every Canadian knows. The question is: what can we do about it?

Since it is not a secret anymore, do you know what I am talking about?

Just in case you missed the big news then let me tell you what it is all about. It is about you and your work habit.

Recently released data collected in 2005 by Statistics Canada says, one in three Canadian is a workaholic. Well, how would you define a workaholic? A workaholic is an individual who is addicted to working, spend excessive hours on the job or who becomes anxious when he or she is away from the office.

Are you one of them?

If you are then you are a kind of person who is rushed, feels trapped in a daily routine, always worried that you are not spending enough time with your family and consequently you have trouble sleeping. Sounds like you feel guilty and you are depressed. Have you seen a good doctor lately?

Is this information something new? No. Statscan says people who describe themselves as workaholics has not changed since this information was first collected 15 years ago. So, how does this information help us define our work habit in 2007?

These days almost everybody has to put in long hours to make a decent living whether you are addicted to your work or not. You have to pay your bills, find a decent place to live and pay the inflated rent, buy expensive gas for your car in a land full of oil, pay premium dollars to have a hot shower and turn on the lights in a land which boasts the “cheapest” utility rates. Would you call yourself a workaholic?

According to Statscan findings, if you are a self-professed workaholic then:
-usually you work 50 or more hours a week
-your general state of their health was fair or poor
-you have trouble sleeping
-you have problems using your time effectively
-you are unable to accomplish what you set out to do at the beginning of the day
-you do not have time for fun
-you are more dissatisfied with your work/life balance than other employees
-you are probably in the management and trades
-if you are a professional then you simply accept that working long hours is an integral part of your professional role

The message is if you are a workaholic then you are never going to be happy. “They’ve bought the BMW, and they have the $3 million Mill Valley house. And they still wake up in the morning and say, ‘I don’t feel good about myself’,” says Stephen Goldbart, psychologist and cofounder of the Money, Meaning and Choices Institute.

So, what is the solution?

One has to step back and do a life review. Identify the problems and consider what changes are needed to make life more pleasurable and fulfilling. We have to balance different roles we play in life. To balance these different roles is a real challenge. Lack of balance is one of the most frequent problems people face in their lives.

Start by simplifying life. Make some choices and make some sacrifices. Remember, in trying to have everything all the time, it may just end up killing us! What are we good for when we are underground?

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Disclaimer: Dr. Noorali Bharwani and Noorali Bharwani Professional Corporation do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information found at this site or the sites listed here and do not otherwise endorse the information contained in them. Dr. Noorali Bharwani and Noorali Bharwani Professional Corporation assume no responsibility or liability for damages arising from any error or omission or from the use of any information or advice contained in this site or sites listed here. The information provided here is for general knowledge. For individual health problems seek the advice of your doctor.