A Workaholic - Definition Essay Example

A workaholic individual is, in many cases, misconstrued for being anti-social or detached from others. To some, a workaholic is in need of help or has a mental condition that should not be left uncared for. Workaholism, however, has its positive and negative perspectives to it. It is highly dependent on the context it is based on or the environment. Workaholism is thus a term that cannot be bound by its theoretical meaning without looking at its many aspects.

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Workaholism in some quarters is seen as a measure of ambition and pure focus. Many workaholics put their all in their work. They look at work as a challenge which ought to be surmounted at any given point. The focus and energy directed to work is thus a sign of commitment and an endeavour to be better in an area that an individual feels is lacking or is qualified to handle or manage. A workaholic in such a case suffices as a pragmatic individual with much focus on being better than he or she was a day before.

In other quarters, a workaholic is seen as an individual keen to impress his or her employer. He or she may be seen as an individual bent on making his or her respective employer happy about the effort put at work. A workaholic, in this case,is not focussed on personal growth but rather an image he portends to his or her employer or a person he owes his livelihood to. It is an imperfect state to be in as work in such a case equates to slavery. A workaholic thus fails to strike the much-needed balance between the personal life and work life. He or she tires away in the efforts directed to impress those he or she calls the boss.

A workaholic is also defined as a socially incompetent person that would rather seek solace in work than face the social realities around him or her. He or she derives comfort from being confined in his space doing what he or she likes best. Lack of social skills thus suffices as one of the primary reason why many individuals end up as workaholics. This definition, however, to some extent is faulty as there some introverts who relish their company away from work. The desire to work is thus personal and should notbe pegged on lacking social skills for all workaholics.

A workaholic in some cases is seen as an individual that has poor planning skills. He or she does not have proper working structure. Consequently, the individual ends up working late and spending much time at the workplace. The time spent at work even past the set schedule can thus be said to be a result of one failing to recognize the fundamental importance of one working smart and not hard. In both scenarios, work is done but in the former work is done in a strategic and time-conscious manner.

In conclusion, there are many definitions of a workaholic. However, emphasis should be laid on individual expectations and goals. Is one working to meet individual targets that give him happiness or well-being? Is one working to impress his or her boss at his or her detriment? Is the work enjoyable to the extent one gets carried away as he or she performs her duties? All these are the questions that should be understood before forming an opinion or creating a static definition of a workaholic.

Works Cited

Gluck, Samantha. "Workaholic Definition: The Meaning of Workaholic." HealthyPlace. N.p., 14 Jan. 2014. Web.