I once had a boss who was a workaholic. The truth is that he is still a workaholic - I am not ! Why ? Because I escaped and now work three days a week and am poor but rich in health ! And my ex-boss ? Well, he is doing OK I guess but never sees his wife. But maybe he doesn't want to !

Workaholism is like any addiction which is a human weakness. It is also an illness. The term workaholism should not be confused with hard work which is very strong in the Protestant ethos . Leisure is idleness, toil is good and workaholism is the best ! When do you have to start worrying if you are a workaholic? It is when work becomes an obsession and the main, or only, driving force in your life ! It is rather like a fatal progressive disease and like any other addiction it gets a stronger and stronger hold.

We hear a lot about the 'work-life balance'. I had another boss who had a different approach and he encouraged staff NOT to stay on working for such long hours. He was also able to demonstrate by his own example that he could and did find time to nurture his human relationships. In other words, he had a life and loved ones outside the workplace.

How many companies do you know that have a workplace stress policy and actually put it into practice? Very few, I suspect and the sad fact is that workaholism is rewarded in companies and promotion is often the result. The problem for the company though, is that workaholism is an infectious disease and highly contagious. The management chain will demand more and more than is reasonable and productivity will suffer.

And still the workaholics are the ones rewarded with higher salaries in many companies and are on the fast track for promotion. Big salaries are the carrot - 38% of people who earn over $100,000 annually said that they were workaholics. That compares very unfavourably with those who had lower salaries - only about 23%. The adrenaline rush needs to be kept going and what better and more rewarding way than to go for the top jobs where they can feed their habit. Generally they have difficulty in delegating work.

Stress and workaholism go hand in hand. The workaholic will suffer from a range of stress related illnesses which can be anything from panic attacks, ulcers, burnout and high blood pressure. Depression will rear its ugly head and can sometimes result in suicide. The workaholic is more and more dependant on his adrenalin rush. The final result is often a fatal illness such as a heart attack or stroke.

The number of divorces among workaholics is much higher than in any other category. Not surprising in that the workaholic cannot dedicate any time to the marriage. Family members are subject to depression and have a lower self esteem. The benefits of a higher salary may be considerable in having a good lifestyle but at what price ?

Does all this sound familiar to you ? Maybe your stress is caused by workaholism or maybe you are being stressed out by a workaholic boss. It really is time to take this in hand before it takes you out and members of your family will take the brunt as well.

Health Products on our marketplace

Beat Stress Stop Workaholism Take time out To Save Yourself And Your Family. For up to date news on Health Tips For Stress