In a couple’s counseling session, Dolores accused her husband, Perry, of workaholism. His immediate response was, “Yes, I’m a workaholic.” Joyce and I were surprised at the actual pride revealed in his voice. He continued, “I’m a creative man, an entrepreneur. I thrive on juggling many projects.”
Dolores countered:
Yes, Perry does many things and provides plenty of money for the family, but he’s gone practically all the time. And when he’s home, it feels like it’s just his body that’s home. The rest of him is still at work, even on the weekends. We had one three-day vacation as a family in a whole year, and he was on his phone most of the time. He wants to have sex with me, but I just can’t. I don’t feel like he’s with me. I can’t go on like this anymore.
Before smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices, people used to work hard at their jobs, but then come home to relax. Farmers, for example, could put in very long hours, but when they were home, there was no more work to be done. And when they were away from their farms on vacation, there was nothing to do but be on vacation. Same with most kinds of work. Workaholism has always existed, but now in the communication age, people can work from anywhere, night or day. The problem seems to be escalating.
