Aos ergasiomaníacos de plantão

De acordo com o dicionário Aurélio, um ergasiomaníaco é alguém que sofre do desejo patológico de trabalhar permanentemente. O termo aparece no Houaiss como um cultismo e corresponde ao substantivo workaholic, definido ali como “trabalhador compulsivo”. Para quem pensa que ser workaholic é chique, sugiro uma leitura rápida (para não atrapalhar o trabalho) de alguns trechos transcritos abaixo, extraídos de um artigo sobre o assunto publicado no New York Times.
Apesar de não ser novidade, o fenômeno continua em pauta em inúmeras revistas e livros de diversas áreas.
É possível que isto se deva, em parte, ao fato de nossa sociedade valorizar o workaholic e outros compulsivos borderline – aqueles que se destacam de forma positiva por seu comportamento excessivo, mas não chegam a entrar em colapso. Um tradutor com essa tendência, por exemplo, pode ser extremamente bem-sucedido: atende a vários clientes/editores de uma vez, cumpre prazos e nunca diz “não”. Como não tira férias e trabalha fins-de-semana e feriados, também se mostra mais produtivo do que outros colegas (pelo menos por algum tempo). Se alguém pergunta ao dito cujo como estão as coisas, ele responde satisfeito: “Atolado de serviço, graças a Deus”. Tudo corre às mil maravilhas em sua linda rotina de perfeccionismo, pânico, pressão e medo de perder o controle. Mas a que preço ele obtém o seu sucesso?
Não é preciso ser um workaholic inveterado para deixar de lado as coisas importantes da vida — o relacionamento com Deus, família e amigos, por exemplo — em troca das coisas urgentes do dia-a-dia. Ao mesmo tempo, temos compromissos e responsabilidades que não podem ser ignorados. Se não suplicarmos a Deus diariamente por sabedoria e reconhecermos que nossos dias na verdade não nos pertencem (mais sobre isso em outro post), podemos acabar sacrificando coisas pequenas, porém preciosas. Assim, façamos nossas as palavras do salmista: “Ensina-nos a contar os nossos dias e usar nosso pouco tempo para conseguirmos a tua sabedoria” (Sl 90.12, BV).


When Hard Work Becomes Overwork
By PHYLLIS KORKKI
The New York Times, Published: October 21, 2007
Q. You put in 12 to 14 hours a day at the office and often work on weekends and at home. Some people have joked that you are a “workaholic,” and a few people close to you have even said that it’s a serious problem. Is it? How can you tell?
A. Chances are you’re a workaholic if you feel compelled to work for the sake of working, and you feel panic, anxiety or a sense of loss when you aren’t working.
The workaholic is “addicted to incessant activity” […] The behavior continues even if the worker becomes aware that it is personally harmful — even harmful to the quality of the work […]
Q. Are certain types of people more prone to workaholism than others?
A. Most workaholics are either perfectionists, have a need for control or a combination of both […]
Q. What’s the difference between workaholism and working very hard?
A. The nonworkaholic knows how to set boundaries. […] “Many of us at various times in our life have to work very long hours, but we have the internal regulator that says, ‘This has gone on long enough.’” The workaholic “feels bereft without that constant activity,” she said.
Q. What are some telltale signs of workaholism?
A. If several people close to you say they feel neglected by you because of your work, you should certainly take their concerns seriously […].
And if you regularly conceal from family members that you are working — say, sneaking into the next room to peek at your BlackBerry — you may have a problem […]
Q. Do workaholics accomplish more than people who work fewer hours?
A. Often, they don’t. For one thing, they may become so fixated on tiny details that they find it hard to move on to the next task […] “They’re not looking for ways to be more efficient; they’re just looking for ways to always have more work to do.”
Most companies think that they are benefiting from a workaholic’s long hours, even if it is at the worker’s expense, Professor Porter said. In fact, she said, workaholism can harm the company as well as the worker.
Q. How can workaholism harm a company?
A. In addition to discouraging efficiency, it can put enormous stress on co-workers. If the workaholic is a manager, he or she may expect long hours from subordinates, may force them to try to meet impossible standards, then rush in to save the day when the work is deemed substandard, Professor Porter said.
The person may look like a hero, coming in to solve crisis after crisis, when in fact the crises could have been avoided. Sometimes, the workaholic may have unwittingly created the problems to provide the endless thrill of more work.
Q. What steps can a person take to stop working too hard?
A. The behavior can be an extraordinarily hard to change, experts agree. “People will go through withdrawal,” Professor Porter said.
That is why professional help, or the active support of family members and friends, may be needed to turn the tide.
In addition, an employer could perceive the workaholic’s reduced work hours and curtailed accessibility as a drop in performance, Professor Porter said. In that case, it may be necessary to request a new assignment or a transfer within the company, she said.

QUER SABER SE VOCÊ É UM WORKAHOLIC? Faça o teste da revista Forbes (em inglês).