Marriage Counseling--Are You a Workaholic
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Society -> subcategory Marriage.
Marriage Counseling: Are You a Workaholic?
Summary:
Americans work more hours than any other industrialized nation, and workaholism can impact relationships, marriages, and overall life satisfaction.
Keywords:
Marriage, counseling, relationships, couples, work/life balance
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Article Body:
Meet Justin, a 35-year-old executive at a high-pressure investment firm who puts in 60-70 hours a week. Even on vacation, he's glued to his phone, checking emails and taking calls, viewing this as normal since everyone at his workplace does it.
In the United States, work is a deeply ingrained value. Americans labor longer hours than anyone else in the industrialized world. To many in Western Europe, the U.S. is seen as a nation of workaholics.
A study conducted in 1998 by the Families and Work Institute in New York found the average American worked 44 hours a week, an increase of 3.5 hours since 1977. This surpasses the average workweek in France (39 hours) and Germany (40 hours). According to a recent report from the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO), U.S. workers are clocking more hours than any other industrialized country's workforce.
The ILO statistics from 2000 reveal that Americans worked nearly an entire extra week compared to the previous year, averaging 1,978 hours, up from 1,942 in 1990. This exceeds the work hours of Canadian, Japanese, and Australian workers.
What drives this relentless work ethic? It's often not for vacations; the typical American has just two weeks of vacation compared to the four to six weeks enjoyed by their European counterparts.
Is it for happiness? Surveys by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago indicate that Americans aren’t any happier now than they were in 1957, despite a near doubling of personal consumption. Globally, people have consumed as much since 1950 as all previous generations combined, yet they don’t report more happiness.
The costs of overworking are significant. People sacrifice sleep and family time. A recent survey found that almost a third of those working over 48 hours a week said exhaustion negatively impacted their marriages. Nearly a third admitted that work-related fatigue affected their sex life, with 14% reporting a reduced sex drive. Long hours often lead to arguments and tension at home, with two out of five people working over 48 hours a week blaming their schedule for domestic disagreements and feeling guilty for not contributing more to household chores.
How can you tell if you've become a workaholic? Here are some warning signs:
- Your home feels like an extension of the office.
- Colleagues describe you as hardworking, competitive, and overly committed.
- You always have your cell phone, pager, or laptop with you, even on vacation.
- Friends seldom call anymore, or you rush off the phone when they do.
- Sleep seems like a waste of time.
- Work problems occupy your mind, even during downtime.
- Work brings you more joy than any other part of your life.
- Loved ones often comment on your long hours and urge you to take breaks.
If these signs resonate with you, it might be time to reassess your work-life balance. A healthy marriage requires time and commitment. Don't become so consumed by making a living that you forget to enjoy life.
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