How to be a functioning workaholic

Flickr user Hardleers

(MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY A few recent articles use Google vice president Marissa Mayer as a model for how swamped executives should handle the extraordinary demands of their jobs without burning out.

What a spectacularly bad idea.

Mayer says she typically works 90-hour weeks packed with 60 meetings. In Google's early years, she says she worked 130-hour weeks by being "strategic about when you shower and sleeping under your desk."

Why doesn't she succumb to burnout, working nearly all the time, year in and year out? "I don't really believe in burnout. A lot of people work really hard for decades and decades, like Winston Churchill and Einstein," she says. And she schedules a week off every six months or so.

Let me say this about that. I did the math. The woman works all the time. She loves what she does. She has $300 million or so in the bank. She's happy. Good for her. I'm happy she's happy. But it's a rare case that nobody, and I mean nobody, should use as a model for how to work, how to live, or how to avoid burnout. Period.

Now for something that may make a little more sense to mere mortals like you and me.

Work-life balance: A common sense approach
How to create a culture of innovation
An open letter to Google CEO Larry Page

There's so much written about work-life balance and time management these days, it's easy to get lost. And I, for one, am no expert on either. What I can say with absolute confidence, however, is that, over a 30-year career, there were times when I worked my tail off, times when I had loads of fun, and times when I was lucky enough to combine the two. Looking back on it, I have few regrets and none that I can't live with.

Sure, I made some sacrifices, but who doesn't? That is perhaps the only thing Mayer and I agree on. You can't have it all so you have to figure out what's really important to you. Amen to that. Here are a few more not-so-obvious insights into how to be a functioning workaholic, whether you chose that lifestyle or it was thrust upon you.

What's a workaholic? Somebody who puts work first, works more than he should, gets in trouble with his wife about it, maybe misses the birth of a child or two, obsesses about work, is "on" 24x7, has trouble not working when she doesn't have to, that sort of thing. Anyway, it's always good to know what you're dealing with.

Don't be over-the-top proud of it. If you chose the lifestyle, you should definitely be comfortable with that. But don't go running around shouting about it to everyone who'll listen or wear it like some sort of badge of honor. That's just annoying. You should never apologize for the life you choose, but there's nothing especially noble about being a workaholic, either. And don't complain. That's even more annoying.

Work your tail off when you have to; not when you don't. That's how I did it and it worked great. When duty called, I was there as needed. A quick trip for a meeting in Japan, a week or two on the road, long days and nights, that's why executives make the big bucks. But when things simmered down, so did I. I chilled plenty. No guilt, either. That way, it all evens out. Magically, no burnout.

Have fun doing it. Yes, I know that's easy to say, but if you're not passionate about what you're doing, if it isn't fun on at least some level, you'll never be able to handle the workaholic grind. You'll make yourself and everyone around you miserable. You'll ruin your health and your life. Don't bother. You have to find something that turns you on in some material way to be able to work hard at it.

Know the signs of burnout. Okay, so the truth is that there were situations when I wasn't happy. It had more to do with the company, the culture or my boss than the work itself. Those, in my opinion, are more common causes of burnout than just working long hours. Anyway, burnout is when you're miserable all the time and there's no end in sight. Watch out for the signs.

Don't be a dope and sacrifice your health for work or anything else, for that matter. If you can work consistent 90-hour weeks for years and pull off looking and coming across as well as Mayer does, be my guest. Knock yourself out. However, in 30 plus years working in and around the high-tech industry, I've rarely seen it. But then, just about everyone I know is actually human.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Hardleers

[KristenLambTX]

I feel America has a warped vision of the "perfect worker." Some yahoo who works 90 hours a week is hailed a genius and an example of a Great American Leader. If you haven't had a vacation in five years, you've been through three wives and your kids all do drugs and sleep around because of "daddy issues", then you are CEO material.

I believe workaholism is too revered in this country, but we live in a world where stereotypes and extremes are revered. Only 6' tall 105 pound women with strangely poofy lips are beautiful and only people who waste...um, work 90-130 hour weeks are "ideal workers." Take someone who could accomplish the same in 35 hours a week and they are "lazy." Take 2 weeks vacation a year and you're a bum.

This country is suffering because it embraces extremes. We push people to be dangerously thin and they end up fatter than ever. Push people to the "ideal" worker--90 hour weeks---and all we get are a bunch of people who don't understand how to delegate and harness a team, who micromanage, spin wheels and waste.

[denise14--2008]

Anyone who thinks they can work 90 hours a week and not pay a high price for it eventually is as insane as most workaholics are. I know. I was one (although never worked 90 hours). Anyone who works that many hours is in denial about something in their lives.

When I was 39, my life came crashing down, became seriously ill, unable to work and forced to close my business for over 5 years, trying to survive on SSDI (ha!), had to liquidate all my assets/home just to pay medical bills and keep a roof over my head. Lost a decade of my life trying to recover my health. In my 50's/60's, I've had to rebuild my life financially from ground zero.

What I don't understand is ... why would you ever write an article endorsing that kind of addiction and about "how to be a highly effective workaholic?" It saddens me that your time was not spent writing on a more valuable, life/business enhancing topic than this one. Definitely thumbs down for me.

[satuvansanten]

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding? Steve says "What a spectacularly bad idea". On the other hand, there are people who are going to be workaholics no matter what, whether it's a good idea or not, and I see it that Steve is giving those people advice to temper the unhealthy excesses so they may possibly avoid the very sad situation which you had to deal with. All the best.

[stobak2]

You know my previous article "Does grammar matter anymore?" Maybe it should have been about reading comprehension. Just sayin' ... ;-)

ST

[Wavenet10]

Steve:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for stating clearly what needed to be said (printed and posted).

[leelee91914]

Thanks for another useful and thought provoking column like usual Steve. I agree with it, particularly the last item about not sacrificing your health.

Still I can't stop myself from adding a response to your "Don't be over-the-top proud of it." point:

OK, yes, I know I am annoying, whiny, and boring when I complain about the hours I work to keep my business running, and yes I understand it is "my life choice."

Here's the deal - I'll stop being a bore about it when the plethora of people I know who work 40 hours a week or less with 3 - 4 weeks vacation a year in a job with as little stress/responsibility as possible acknowledge THAT is THEIR life choice and stop dismissing people with higher incomes as "lucky" or "greedy" people who should pay more in taxes to help support the "less fortunate" people who choose "balance" as their life choice and don't have a workaholic bone in their bodies. I'm just saying... :-)

[stobak2]

Hey, now that's a cultural issue worth fighting for. Give 'em hell!

[Mike_Kunkle]

Hey Tobak, where were you when I was 38??

LOL, as usual, Steve, you couldn't be more right. At an age when I should have known better, in my opinion, I did a 90-hour week at a software start-up, and many other weeks that were far too close to that. And I bragged about it. At the time, I'd have denied it, but I wasn't just a dedicated hard worker with drive and passion, I crossed over into an unhealthy workaholic. It was a perfect storm of events that led to me going over the top on what was previously just a solid work ethic, but I got obsessive at the company.

Thank goodness I came out of it and for the last 10 years (I'm 52 today) have led a much more balanced yet successful life. I still work more than "average," I imagine, whatever that is (or at least the numbers I see published from time to time), and certainly more than 40 hours a week. But my hours are based on workload now, and follow your advice here, and I've found a pretty good cadence. Rather than the horrible role models I followed at that time in my life, it would have been nice to have same sane AND successful mentors who could show me a better way, sooner. Hopefully those who need to hear your message are reading now.

Thanks for the consistent sanity checks and great advice,

Mike

[stobak2]

"Hey Tobak, where were you when I was 38??"

Probably on a plane. ;-)