Workaholism is a sin that must be stomped on

Ross Gittens stirring the possum again.

Workaholism is a sin that must be stomped on

Ross Gittins

The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 October 2005

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/workaholism-is-a-sin-that-must-be-stomped-on/2005/10/02/1128191605200.html

From the way some of them talk, you'd think business people and economists regard us all as lazy loafers, desperately in need of "incentivation" to get us working.

In truth, the statistics show that Australians work as hard as any nationality, including the Japanese and Americans.

And, as it's easier to see when you're at home relaxing on a long weekend, some of us work too much for our own good - and other people's.

With so many of us working such long hours, being on call when we're not working and not taking all our leave, it seems clear many of us are working too hard.

Why do we do it? That's a question canvassed in a recent paper on The Economics of Workaholism, by the well-regarded labour market economist Dan Hamermesh, of the University of Texas, and Joel Slemrod, of the University of Michigan, published by America's National Bureau of Economic Research.

A workaholic is someone who's a compulsive worker. Indeed, workaholism is increasingly being regarded as an addiction, with similarities to more conventional addictions to smoking, drinking, overeating or gambling. According to one psychologist, it works like this. Discomforts in life and work cause the person to seek relief. And the primary form of relief that person has access to is to feel good by accomplishing something as part of their job.

Trouble is, as the person attends increasingly to getting things done at work, their personal life begins to suffer. This causes more discomfort, prompting the person to work ever harder at getting more things done at work.

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Document SMHH000020051002e1a30001b