AT HOME
Sometimes, the most powerful examples of the negative effects of workaholism come from workaholics’ loved ones. In my research lab, we have interviewed more than 50 spouses of workaholics to gain an understanding of how workaholism affects families. Comparing these responses to the responses we received from the workaholics themselves makes it clear that workaholics underestimate the detrimental effects of their workaholism on their loved ones.
Chris realised the deep impact his workaholism had on his family by watching his son’s approach to work. His son, now in his twenties, has told him that he intends to take a completely different attitude toward work because he has seen Chris working all the time. “I’m not going to be like you,” he told Chris. He was going to enjoy his weekends and travel, using work to pay for his lifestyle, but that it would not be his life. Chris’s workaholism also took a toll on his
