A few decades ago, a man-workaholic was perceived as a standard, business leaders set such people as an example to everyone else, which caused the desire for workaholics to work even harder and more enthusiastically. What kind of unconscious mechanism affects a person and manifests itself in an unrestrained desire to work and ... work?
Workaholic - who is it?
If you look closely, in any environment there is a person who is constantly there once, he is busy and repeating: "Work is above all!", "It is necessary to work hard!". A workaholic is a person for whom life without work is unthinkable. Striving for work is one of the important human needs, but in the workaholic, this need sometimes becomes one single goal and the meaning of existence in general. Everything else: family, friends, leisure, satisfaction of personal needs and desires is pushed to the background or indefinitely.
Workaholism in psychology
Workaholism as a form of dependent behavior is placed on a par with such a disease as alcoholism. The word "workaholic" sounds like an insult or insult to a person, but studies of the last decades of the XX century. and the publication of the book of the American psychologist W.E. Watts "The Confession of a Workaholic" - allowed to look at workaholism as a painful psychological dependence, the same as craving for alcohol and drugs. The basis is the same mechanisms:
- avoiding problems in the "alternative" reality;
- getting euphoria and happiness in this way.
The causes of workaholism
Why do people become workaholics, the issue is topical for people who suddenly realized that apart from work, there is nothing in their life. The causes of the formed dependence on labor:
- Formed from childhood, the habit of avoiding problems, scandals in any activity;
- An example of a parent family, in which they worked hard and hard, earned little, but had a bunch of regalia: badges, medals, certificates for conscientious work;
- A child, more often the elder in the family, to earn the love of the parents and approval takes responsibility for doing "adult" household chores.
- Feeling of self importance , importance and need through the work performed: "When I'm at work, I'm worth something, I like myself, I respect myself and nothing else!".
- Low communication skills;
- Once received euphoria and marked by the leadership of labor - fix a dependent reaction in a person again to feel such feelings.
Signs of workaholism
What distinguishes a workaholic from an ordinary hard-working citizen? Workaholism is a pathological behavior, and if you look closely at such a person you can trace the constantly manifested features, or the so-called "fad" of a workaholic:
- says only about work;
- uses in speech the words: "should", "it is necessary to plow", "demand", "work above the roof";
- periods of weekends and holidays are perceived by a workaholic as a waste of time spent;
- at home all thoughts about work;
- rest and pleasure is not about workaholic: it feels worthless and unrestrained;
- ignores the needs of the family, all responsibility for solving domestic issues and the process of raising children is on the second partner;
- emotional coldness and detachment;
- convinces others that he is working for the sake of securing the family or is coming up with another justification;
Types of workaholism
Workers' work is different and depends on the motives and goals, the nature of the workaholic personality. Classification of workaholism:
- Social workaholism - in every organization and in society as a whole, there are people who are activists who are willing to volunteer to participate in public works.
- Office workaholism . The most common form of labor dependence.
- Creative workaholism - it affects the people of art.
- Sports workaholism is a dependence on sport and exercise.
- Home workaholism . Women who devote themselves to household management do not think themselves without everyday household chores, which take away all free time.
Workaholic - good or bad?
Workaholism can not be unequivocally attributed to the category of negative phenomena. At first, the inspiration of the deed, the full commitment to the project can help to advance the person on the career ladder, to launch a successful business , to bring research to the benefit of society. But the difficulty lies in the fact that a person can not stop in time and switch to other spheres of life. Workaholism and its consequences:
- sooner or later the quality of the work performed begins to suffer;
- Physical and moral fatigue accumulates;
- formed somatic diseases;
- different mental disorders;
- depression;
- break with loved ones.
How to become a workaholic?
It is important to understand that workaholics dependency, which is hard to correct, and relationships with a workaholic in other people are not the most pleasant. But what if the planned plans are much more priority than anything else. Actions that contribute to the formation of a workaholic:
- iron discipline;
- readiness for loneliness;
- work in emergency mode without days off and leave for a long time.
How to live with a workaholic
The workaholic, a person who is not inclined to the usual everyday communication and discussion of questions, such a person is difficult to enter into family or friendly relations , and if this happened, the other half should be ready for the fact that the work will occupy most of the time a workaholic. Variants of the relationship, when the spouse is dependent on work:
- humility and acceptance of a partner as is;
- choose free time and try to convey to the person the pressing problems and anxiety for a joint life;
- offer to go to a psychologist.
How to treat workaholism?
Workaholism is a disease, and treatment is possible only when a person realizes an existing problem. A visit to a psychologist will help to identify the origins of dependent behavior and start living, adjusting other areas of life that have been launched. Psychotherapy group and individual, sometimes with the appointment of sedatives in severe cases. Female workaholism is more difficult to correct and leads to the manifestation of male characteristics in a person , despotism.
How to get rid of workaholism to a woman - recommendations:
- visit psychological training on women's issues;
- strengthening self-esteem;
- after a job well done, even if it causes resistance to afford rest, entertainment, relaxing procedures;
- to start dating.
The most famous workaholics
Famous people are workaholics, who have shown by their example that achieving the heights is real. These individuals knew what was going on and had clearly defined goals and the desire to realize themselves, to give something of value to society. Those cases when workaholism benefits the world can be called positive examples. Known workaholics:
- Bill Gates . A legendary man who founded Microsoft. For 6 years since the beginning of the activity, I had a rest for a total of only two weeks. To professionally not burn out, I made a couple of hours a day to go to the cinema.
- Mother Theresa . An example of workaholism for the sake of others. The great works of the prioress brought her immense moral satisfaction, replacing her personal life, the lack of a full sleep.
- Jack London . A unique writer, for his short but bright life, full of hard work for 20 hours a day, managed to write stories, penetrating their liveliness and drama into the souls of people. Jack introduced the iron rule: no matter how hard and full of worries the day - a thousand words should be written.
- Margaret Thatcher . The crown phrase of the Prime Minister of England, nicknamed the "Iron Lady" was: "I was born to work."
- Walt Disney . Hard discipline, sometimes one and a half hours sleep per day allowed the multiplier to realize their dreams.
Movies about workaholics
Workaholicism is a psychological problem that becomes with people who have completely dedicated themselves to their activities and decide whether it is worth the time and, as a result, spent most of their life put on the "altar" of the work - you can see and reflect on it by watching the following films:
- "The Devil Wears Prada" - Miranda - the heroine played by the beautiful Meryl Streep - is an example of a despotic female workaholic who works tirelessly. Andrea (Ann Hathaway), a new employee, works round the clock to gain a foothold in a new place and show herself worthy. Very soon Andrea's personal life gives a break.
- "Social Network" - a film-biography about a successful young entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg. The price of success is the loss of friends. loneliness and the demand of their workers for the same sacrificial work.
- "Kramer vs. Kramer" is an old, kind film that tells us that family is the most important thing in life. The hero of Dustin Hoffman, who devotes himself to the whole beloved cause, encounters reality: his wife leaves him, leaving him a six-year-old son.
- "How to lose friends and make everyone hate yourself" - the title of the film speaks for itself. The way from an unsuccessful journalist to the ranks of successful ones due to workaholism, will the hero of Sydney's ribbon become happy?
- The Wolf from Wall Street . If very much and a lot of work, will dreams come true then?