The American Dream on Steroids
The
first thing that becomes clear is that successful professionals are
working harder than ever. The 40-hour workweek, it seems, is a thing of
the past. Even the 60-hour workweek, once the path to the top, is now
practically considered part-time, as a recent Fortune magazine article
put it. Our data reveal that 62% of high-earning individuals work more
than 50 hours a week, 35% work more than 60 hours a week, and 10% work
more than 80 hours a week. Add in a typical one-hour commute, and a
60-hour workweek translates into leaving the house at 7 am and getting
home at 9 pm five days a week. If we focus on the subset of those
workers who hold what we consider extreme jobs (a designation based on
responsibilities and other attributes beyond pay), the hours are even
more punishing. The majority of them (56%) work 70 hours or more a
week, and 9% work 100 hours or more. (Source: Harvard Business Review, "Extreme jobs: The Dangerous Allure of the 70-Hour Workweek
", December, 2007)
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There
is a downside to extreme work behavior. Nearly two-thirds of the
respondents say they'd be healthier if they worked less, and more than
half believe work gets in the way of strong relationships with their
children. Relationships can suffer. Extreme workers have cut short
honeymoons to get back to jobs, and given up on dating or other
relationships because they lack the time. Many are entrepreneurs who
may feel as if the success of their business rests on their shoulders;
others are managers whose extreme work behavior can cause resentment
among employees who feel they have to maintain a similar pace, Siegel
says.
Erica Domesek rarely stops working. She sends e-mails at 3
a.m., forgets to eat lunch until her BlackBerry alarm reminds her and
spends evenings networking at dinners with clients. She works at The
Experiential Agency (XA), an event marketing firm, involved in public
relations for events such as the Sundance Film Festival and the Golden
Globes. It's a heady job for a member of Generation Y.
But there
is a price. "I can't even fathom having a boyfriend. I couldn't do
that. The only relationship I have is really with my BlackBerry," says
Domesek, in New York. "I tend to be a people pleaser. I put a lot of
pressure on myself. I have to deliver. I use work as an excuse. A lot
of my friends are in a great relationship. I do want that."
Anxiety
can get the best of her, and she can get so stressed, she doesn't sleep
and feels nauseated on the job. "Yesterday, I spent a long time looking
at the menu" at lunch, she says. "I couldn't order lunch because I was
so nauseous." For some, the pace of work can lead to burnout. (Source: USA Today, "Hi, I'm Joan, and I'm a Workaholic," 5/23/2007)
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