Workaholic or Work Enthusiast

He used to be a classic workaholic, and after seeing how little work and career really mean when you reach the end of your life, he put a new emphasis on things he believed counted more. These things include: family, friends, being part of a community, and appreciating the little joys of the average day.

The nature of veterinary practice, as well as the reason most people entered the profession (a “calling”), causes a commitment to quality and excellence that can be mistaken for a pathological fear/addiction to work (workaholic).  Those that know the veterinary medical work-ethic calls these practitioners work enthusiasts.  The work enthusiast enjoys the practice functions and daily routine; these are the people that are still having fun in practice.   The professional dedication and emergency hours can lead to a time obligation that mimics the workaholic.  But there is still the veterinary workaholic.

The best way to identify the workaholic syndrome is to assess the utilization of free time.  If you are someone who has most of your identity wrapped up in the daily accomplishments of the practice, leisure will seem to be a burden, an empty time during which nothing is accomplished.  When deprived of something to do, even for a few hours, workaholics begin to show classic signs of addiction-anxiety and depression.  Weekends are a problem, especially when a three day holiday causes the practice to stay closed.  The fear of losing clients takes on unrealistic proportions.  Physical ailments such as asthma, colitis, ulcers or gastritis can often occur during these holiday periods.  Causing more of a challenge on weekends and holidays for the “weekday boss” is the fact that he/she must learn to cope with the stresses and obligations of interpersonal contacts; treating friends and family members as an equal.

ASSESS YOUR POSITION

Weekends can be hard for other reasons.  Your body and your mind need time to taper off; just as it took time to become productive for a 14-hour workday, so it takes time to adjust to a slower pace.  It is not possible to sneak in two hours at the practice then expect to relax with the family for the balance of the day.  Once you have activated the veterinarian your body pumps adrenaline and you are in fighting mode.  You can’t turn off that arousal like a light switch to play with a child or enjoy a leisurely Sunday dinner.  Physiologically you need to shut down Friday night in order to relax on Saturday and Sunday.  Even then you may not be psychologically ready.  What counts is not where you are or what day it is but what’s occupying your mind.

The other major problem is that relaxation is a process, not a product.  Relaxation is an individual process and one person’s relaxer is another one’s stressor.  It is, therefore, essential to realize there is no one quick solution, no magic cookbook approach.  If you feel that you are in need of help, don’t try the self-help route, rather find a trained specialist in behavioral psychology by consulting the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, 15 W. 36th Street, New York, NY  10018.  While learning to relax is important, you may also need to learn to relate to family and friends.

As work enthusiasts learn to relax and relate, there are a few useful suggestions that seem to work; some even for work for workaholics:

– Seek group support with community groups that help people learn to help children.  By volunteering to help in programs for young people you can gain valuable experience and insight.

– Find ways to be a team member and not a leader, get in touch with reality by taking part in activities that cast you in the role of an equal participant, such as an athletic team member.

– Question the values encouraged by the practice habits.  If the week is routinely scheduled to be 68 to 80 hours, the balance between work and the rest of your life will be lost.  In Marilyn Machlowitz text, “Workaholics,” the dual standards between verbal goals and workplace tendencies appear to often encourage workaholic habits.

–  Reevaluate your own priorities and find a good friend who is willing to give you objective feedback about your lifestyle.

–  Diversify your goals, setting a variety of objectives for yourself in both your personal and professional life.

–  Remember not to sacrifice your family for finances.

In 1995, we started our Seminars At Sea program to give veterinarians a venue that combined relaxing and exotic port of calls with interactive continuing education with an expanded and diverse faculty, which extends into social time including the very special faculty group. Initially we did only 7-day cruises, since most participants said they wanted to get back to their practice, yet in the new millennium, we started to alternate 7-day with 14-day cruise adventures, since some participants wanted a longer time to unwind.  Since the GFC, we have returned to the 7-day format.  In April 2017, we have our next VCI Seminars at Sea, a seven-day Southern Caribbean cruise adventure, with a pre-trip tours in San Juan, Puerto Rico or maybe a post-trip tour of the island, which gives our International participants, and work enthusiasts, a two-week Caribbean holiday. Now, the first step is reserving the cabin for your choice, booking with our Denver-based cruise coordinator (Randy Norris, randy.norris@frosch.com) for the easy planning of our participants.   Please review our itinerary and the very special faculty by visiting our web site, http://drtomcat.com/site/view/214832_.pml.  After the cabin is booked, you can register for the seminars by contacting our seminar registrar/coordinator, Adam Arrington (adam@jeffersonanimalhospitals.com).

As a worhaholic or a work enthusiast, it is important to have some feeling for the way in which you are perceived by others.  The quiz at the end of this article may help you determine whether others see your work style as a participative manager (work enthusiast) or an authoritarian one (workaholic).

ANSWER KEY TO THE “IRON HAND” QUIZ

• Add the number of odd-numbered statements answered “true” to the number of even-numbered statements answered “false.”

• If the total is 10 or more, you are probably considered a helpful, participative team leader. (work enthusiast).

• If your total is five or less, your iron gloves are showing your authoritarian preferences. (workaholic)

I need to level with you – I was a workaholic that participated in Boy Scout functions in the same manner – full bore, on the go, family left behind. After my stay in Australia, I had plenty of time to reassess my approach to life, so now I am a work enthusiast, willing to sit at the curb with a sign, “Will consult for food”. Not really – but the kids, grandkids and ex-wife (now my sweetheart again) have a special priority in my life.  So my new house is within 10 minutes of their house. And I am casually waiting for consult inquiries (Colorado makes airfare reasonable for all practices in the USA).

You must have courage to take a long-term perspective on your life and recognize that it is your family and interpersonal relationships that will sustain you over the years.  Strive for real empathy with people, not just joint TV watching, videos, or Internet programs.