July 5 National Workaholics Day #NationalWorkaholicsDay I don’t know about you but at times I’ve been known as a #workaholic and so have David and even my dad. At one time I thought Charlie would be as well but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Infact he is 16 and I can’t even get Charlie to look for a job and it’s driving me crazy.
Charlie had started #drivered which came to a halt when our car broke down but that shouldn’t stop him from getting a job because there is plenty of places to walk. I need to start using #toughlove with Charlie but I never seem to follow through and that isn’t goof for Charlie or I. It’s time to stop whining and change both mine and Charlie’s life and to do that I plan on sharing National Workaholics Day with Charlie and David and remind them we need to change things now.
National Workaholics Day is on July 5th, and National Workaholics Day is meant to remind us to find a good balance between our home and work life. In general, workaholics tend to put work before almost everything else. This includes family, friends, and even their own health for the sake of work performance and their quest for perfectionism.
As a result, multiple areas of their lives are affected negatively. Their love life can fall apart and they can become lethargic if they don’t properly take care of themselves. On National Workaholics Day, we are reminded to make sure to care for ourselves outside of work as well! Let’s go do something fun.
Work ethic has changed many times over the centuries. During the sixteenth century, Puritans redefined work as an obligation that benefited everyone in society and the idea of “good works” was formed. They viewed diligent work as a sign of grace, while Catholics saw work as a requirement and a manifestation of the faith they received. This tethering of faith and work would remain throughout the Centuries as the world evolved.
When Puritans settled in the New World, they brought their work ethic along with them. They escaped religious persecution and created the idea of the Colonial American Dream, built on the idea that good works brought prosperity. They built a society in the New England area based on the beliefs of ambition, hard work, and the constant pursuit of success, and believed that by living this way, their workmanship on Earth would be rewarded in heaven.
German sociologist Max Weber defined this concept in his book “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,” published in 1905. Labor ideology had a radical shift during this time, as the Industrial Revolution mechanized labor. The small-scale workshops faded away as the industrialization of the manufacturing process increased mass consumption. This was less faith-based as the individual workmanship of the person was removed in favor of the machine.
The 1950s brought about another change in labor dynamics. Young workers were eager to rise through the company, follow the rules, and please their bosses. Fortune magazine referred to this as the “grey flannel mentality” for their risk-aversed approach. In 1968, comedian Rodney Dangerfield came up with the word “workaholics” when he described his father and his relationship with alcohol to cope with the burdens of work. Today, many people still have an unhealthy work-life, and National Workaholics Day is used to remedy that.
LET’S CELEBRATE NATIONAL WORKAHOLICS DAY
- It might seem like it’s out of the blue to take a day off for seemingly no reason, but that’s the point. Society has conditioned many of us to relate our self-worth to our work, and while it’s noble, we shouldn’t sacrifice our health in the process.
- With National Workaholics Day landing right after July 4th, why not extend your holiday? While you enjoy your leftover Barbecue, use National Workaholics Day to relax and research about the history of labor. Choose your favorite era and see how the people of that time approached work.
- “The Office” is one of the funniest binge-worthy workplace comedies ever made. While you’re at home taking a well-deserved break from it all, watch your favorite season of the series and thank your lucky stars that your working environment isn’t as out of control as the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL WORKAHOLICS DAY
- Did you know Monday is the most common sick day?
- Retail salesperson is the most common job in North America.
- The cast of the TV series “Workaholics” lived in the party house where their characters lived.
- Leonardo Da Vinci is credited for writing the first resume.
- Calling out sick is the most common reason for calling out of work.
WHY NATIONAL WORKAHOLICS DAY IS IMPORTANT
- It can be easy to forget that taking time for yourself is important as well. Too often, people assume that taking a break from their work is a sign of laziness, but the time away replenishes your energy which makes you a better worker.
- Having a strong work ethic is normally seen as a positive trait, but that also means that people are less inclined to pay attention to issues caused by work. Anxiety, high stress, and sleep deprivation can all be caused by working too much. National Workaholics Day permits you to pay attention to the signs you might have missed.
- Your social life is just as important as your work life. We give so much of our energy to our workdays, that it can impact the energy we could be using towards our friends and family. At the end of it all, you’ll want to look back and appreciate the time you spent with those who truly love you.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
