Over the last few decades, however, that work ethic has been turned into something else, namely a work obsession. “Getting ahead” has become a byword for people all over America and other countries, and this attitude can be detrimental to some of the most important parts of life.
In this article we are going to take a look at what it is that is making us work too hard.
What Are We Getting Ahead Of?
In North American society today, there is a definite emphasis placed on the need to define success through material goods and bottom line salaries. This is a mistaken belief in the first place, and it is all the more dangerous when one considers that we live in a world that operates at a very basic level on credit.
You may wonder why you don’t have as many toys as your neighbor and seek to work harder in order to overcome the gap you perceive, when in fact it is possible that your neighbor just uses all the credit she can get her hands on!
That said, there are plenty of reasons for working hard in a day; after all, you have a future and family to think about, which brings us to the next part of this article:
Does Going Over And Above Expectations Really Pay Off?
As I grew older and began to talk to men of the baby boomer generation at a more personal level, one thing struck me more than any other: Not a single man, no matter how successful, felt that the time he missed with his family was worth it.
Today, women are working just as hard as men, so much so that many of us are missing out on the early lives of our children. Make no mistake about it; you will be able to work and build a career in your thirties and forties, but the days when your children are small can never be recaptured.
Many of us justify working too hard and taking all that time away from our families by believing that we are doing it for them. However, as proved by most of the baby boomer work force, many workaholics later regret this life choice.
So What Can You Do About It?
Now, don’t get me wrong – I am not advocating a slacker approach to the workplace. You need to make money, and you need to work hard. You just need to be sure you aren’t sacrificing your health or your family time beyond what is reasonable. Here are some suggestions.
• Minimize the amount of work you have to take home. You shouldn’t be working any more than an hour a night and two on the weekends, if that.
And NEVER work on vacation. This is your time, and employers should understand that.
• Plan your career boom later. Most people spend their twenties and early thirties trying to put in the hours to get themselves promoted. It can work, but are the sacrifices worth it?
If you have a family, you might find it a lot more satisfying to wait until your kids are teenagers, and don’t really WANT you around anymore, to make your big career move.
Of course, you might have to watch some young hot shot who isn’t as connected with family as you get promoted, but I think in the end it will be worth it.
Bottom line, too many people are working too hard today. Workaholicism is becoming a nationwide pandemic, and it is not without its social and health consequences. Take the time and evaluate what is really necessary in your career, in terms of work load.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online (http://www.sixsigmaonline.org) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
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