Work life balance
Workaholic,
are you?
Studies
show that workaholism, in our 24x7-connected culture, has become the
easiest escape route for people.
How to take your work
seriously yet ensure you live beyond your office cubicle
For some people, work never stops. It doesn’t
matter whether they are physically present in office or not. These people
clock in early to write that report, skip lunch to finish a conversation on
the phone and again stay back till late, waiting for approvals. Weekends,
when they should be sipping chilled beer with friends or having a dinner
table conversation with family, are mostly spent resolving work issues. We
label them as ‘workaholics’, the ones who get a buzz from working under
intense pressure. It doesn’t matter whether the pressure is real or not;
work addicts put themselves under constant pressure because that’s the only
way they can function.
A FORM OF OCPD
Psychotherapist and counsellor Dr Anjali Chhabria says workaholics have
certain traits of an obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). “A
workaholic’s craving for the sense of achievement is often driven by
insecurity and perfectionism. For them, work is far beyond just a source of
income; it eclipses everyone and everything else in their lives.” The rapid
advance of technology, with our lives connected 24x7 has only compounded
the problem. Santosh Nair, motivational guru and entrepreneur coach says,
“We are witnessing a commodification of work force, not just products. We
are required to have speed, urgency and efficiency. This commodification
has made everyone a workaholic. We have to be super efficient and work like
robots, and every day, we are working harder to prove our self-worth to
others and even to ourselves. Nothing seems enough.”
LACK OF SMART SKILLS
Nair further explains, “We often work till late in the night just
because our colleagues are doing so. But the fact is we always have a
choice. What we lack is the skill set, attitude and
knowledge to finish work faster. We equate time
spent at work with success. And that’s not always true.” In the West,
studies on corporate culture have often proved that addiction to work is no
less than addiction to alcohol – it affects people’s emotional and physical
well-being. The Japanese have coined a special term for extreme
workaholism. They call it “karoshi”
or “death by overwork”! Clinical psychologist and relationship counsellor
Dr Seema Hingorrany says, “Workaholics neglect people close to them. They do not think that relationships that are closest actually need the most
work. Even if they are physically present with their families, their mind
is preoccupied with work. Moreover, they are so tired after a long day that
they have no stamina for any activity outside work. It’s a vicious cycle.
This inability to balance work and personal life leads to grief from
family, which reinforces the idea that work is an ideal way to escape from
personal conflicts. I have dealt with many cases where workaholism is the
leading
cause of divorce, separations, extra-marital affairs and children
experiencing an unhappy childhood.” People are witnessing a rocket rise in
anxiety, depression and nervous breakdowns. So how do we bring a dead-end
to this behaviour? “The young worker in India needs to switch off at 3.30
pm on Friday and have Saturday and Sunday for work-life balance. Managers
and bosses must encourage this behaviour. Hardwork does not mean long
hours. It is a disaster that will lead to burnout. Youngsters in their 20s
need to plan their work habits with care as it will impact their physical
and mental health in the long term,” suggests Vineet Bajpai, corporate guru
and coach.
It’s Sunday, people. Switch off, have fun!
Inputs by Nona Walia
THE DANGERS OF BEING A
WORKAHOLIC
You have little or no opportunity for a social life and thus, you may not
develop social skills.
You are unable to relate to people outside work or
even your family because you are working even at home. You become
one-dimensional and blinkered in your outlook, which amounts to lack of
creativity and the inablity to build lateral thinking skills.
You are prone to a lot of stress, which in turn,
leads you to find ways to de-stress through addictions such as smoking,
drinking and caffeine. All this affects your physical and mental health.
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE
Choose your life pattern
yourself. Don’t be governed by others.
Harness habits and skills that allow you to make your own rules in this rat
race.
Avoid talking work over lunch and dinner.
Switch off your mobile on Saturdays and Sundays, keep weekends for
yourself. Don’t worry about being left behind.
Gradually reduce work hours. This does not mean compromising on the quality
of work.
Refuse to feel guilty when you are not working.
Develop skill sets and an attitude that allows you to finish work within
office hours. Don’t stay back just because your colleagues are doing so.
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