On July 5, people who are completely absorbed in work and are ready to sacrifice a lot for the sake of their profession celebrate their holiday. It's Workaholics Day. It traces its history back to the US and is known in many countries today.
This can be considered their “professional“ a celebration of people who put work and career above family, friends, loved ones, who prefer to “live at work”, sometimes forgetting about the simplest human joys.
Workaholism is understood as a person's desire to work excessively, exceeding the scope of natural diligence. This term is used (by analogy with alcoholism, only from the word – work) for people who have a painful psychological “work addiction”, who perceive work as the only means of self-realization. Therefore, people who exhibit this quality are called workaholics. And being a workaholic is already a diagnosis. The term workaholic itself was used after the publication of the American psychologist Wayne Edward Oates' book “Confessions of a Workaholic“ in 1971
There is a misconception that a workaholic – efficient, trouble-free, responsible employee – is a godsend for the boss. But it is important to remember that workaholism is a form of addiction, and overwork, sleepless nights and the refusal of rest and days off lead to neuroses, inattention, disorders of the nervous system and diseases. And work ceases to bring benefit and satisfaction.
However, in fairness, it is worth saying that workaholism can be creative. A scientist, composer, artist, writer, surgeon, creator of their own business, etc., as a rule, are completely devoted to their work. Without such dedication, it is difficult to create something truly great. Such people are said to have found their calling. But for such people, their profession is not exhausting work and hard work, but creativity and “beloved child” (however difficult the work may be).
However, it is important to remember that the balance between work and rest is essential for a person's physical and mental health. Therefore, Workaholic Day was created to raise public awareness of the negative consequences of workaholism and to encourage workaholics themselves to change their lifestyle. The theme of the day was the words – One works to live, not the other way around .
If there is such a person in your environment, take the initiative into your own hands – give him a day off with a trip to nature and a picnic, a visit to the cinema or an exhibition, a party with friends or just a good time. If you yourself are a workaholic, find strength in yourself and take a vacation in any format, unrelated to your profession, to reevaluate your life and see many new interesting moments and people in it.