Time to reassess
By Ramon P. Llamas, MPH

“Health is the soul that animates all the enjoyments of life, which fade and are tasteless without it.” – William Temple

I recently read “Wake-up Call” by Erika Lovley in Politico this week and my suspicions have been confirmed through anecdotal evidence: people working in Washington, especially those working on Capitol Hill, are extremely stressed out. Having moved to DC last June from California, I first noticed it back in 2008 when I spent a summer here as an intern. It’s the culture to work non-stop. And it’s hard not to. Just take a look around – people almost jogging to the metro because they walk so fast; reading reports on the metro and constant communication through their trusty smartphone, among others. The death of Paula Nowakowski, Chief of staff for John Boehner, serves as a wake up call for everyone in Washington. Slow down and relax, people. Paula passed at the age of 46 from a heart attack. Lovley describes that her lifestyle probably contributed to her passing because “she smoked, she didn’t always eat well, and she often worked seven days a week.” Other Hill staffers have developed health problems as well. From Type 1 diabetes to high blood pressure, the consequences of constant, unrelenting stress can take its toll. Despite one’s passion for the job and work, is it worth the health consequences you develop in return? Is there anything you can do?

A publication from the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) recommends the following: maintain a balance between your professional and personal life; have access to a supportive social network of friends and family and maintain a relaxed, positive outlook on life. Early warning signs of job-induced stress include headaches, sleep disturbance, difficulty in concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction and low morale. If left untreated, the following health problems have been correlated to job-induced stress: musculoskeletal disorders, psychological disorders, workplace injury, ulcers, impaired immune function, cancer , heart disease and suicide. The first step to solving a problem is to acknowledge that it is there. From that point you can plan accordingly. Mayoclinic.com offers some ideas to relieve stress:

*Keep a log. Track everything you do for one week. Include work-related and non-work-related activities. Decide what’s necessary and what satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don’t enjoy and don’t have time for. If you don’t have the authority to make certain decisions, talk to your supervisor.

*Learn to say no. Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child’s teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it’s OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.

*Leave work at work. With today’s global business mentality and the technology to connect to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there’s no boundary between work and home — unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.

*Communicate clearly. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.

*Fight the guilt. Remember, having a family and a job is OK — for both men and women.

*Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music. Unwind after a hectic workday by reading, practicing yoga, or taking a bath or shower.

*Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.

*Protect your day off. Try to schedule some of your routine chores on workdays so that your days off are more relaxing.

*Get enough sleep. There’s nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you’re sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but also you can make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.

If you’ve been able to find a great balance between work and personal life, share your story with me at ramonl@menshealthnetwork.net!

By Ramon P. Llamas, MPH

First of all, Happy New Year!

USA Today featured a comprehensive story on college football coaches and their total salaries (breakdowns of base salaries and bonuses, etc.) in early November. The highest paid coaches in 2009 lead the most prestigious football programs in the country, including Pete Carroll of Southern California, Bob Stoops of Oklahoma and Urban Meyers of Florida, among others. The aforementioned coaches made at least $4 million dollars in total salary in 2009 (access the full list here). $4 million. A salary of $4 million is higher than most professions, but unfortunately the pressures of receiving such a salary can take their toll. Urban Meyer, for example, recently resigned from his coaching job at the University of Florida due to recent health problems, in which Meyer lost consciousness and was admitted to the hospital. Fortunately for Meyer, there was no heart damage. But he had been experiencing chest pains for the past two years. He reportedly lost 20 pounds during a 10-day period around the SEC title game against arch-rival Alabama. A competitive drive and relentlessness such as Meyer’s are shared, to some degree, by many. It is this same drive that leads to burn out and potential health problems. It is important to be aware of warning signs and symptoms and to discuss any concerns with a physician. Take note of changes and the duration of those changes. For example, weight loss in the past 10 days resulting from a loss of appetite. It is important that each of us takes a more proactive role in maintain our health and well-being, both physically and mentally. Physicians cannot be relied upon to solve all of our health care problems; their job is done more accurately and efficiently when we are fully engaged and assist them in the process.
For this new year, I encourage each of you to reflect on what your health means to you. Remember that health is a resource for living. It is our vehicle to enjoy all that life has to offer, whether it’s traveling, sports, cooking, music or the arts. I wish each of you a healthy and prosperous 2010!

If you have any questions or comments, please drop me a line at ramonl@menshealthnetwork.net.

By Luke Manley

Imagine an extremely prevalent addiction that can almost guarantee a slew of health problems such as heart attacks, ulcers, strokes, insomnia, anxiety attacks, and depression. Then envision that it can in many cases lead to early death, suicide, and/or secondary addiction to drugs, alcohol, and prescription medication. Sounds awful, right? What if I told you that this addiction was embraced by society, even encouraged and that it interferes with a person’s ability to maintain personal relationships, leisure activities, and outside interests? Sounds impossible.

Well, the awfully impossible exists and it goes by the real name of workaholism or workaholic syndrome. Dr. Diane Fassel who authored a well-known novel, Working Ourselves to Death, notes that workaholics “are not aware that [they’re] really tired or worn down or have physical symptoms. Workaholics are usually taken out by a heart attack or stroke, or collapse with a really catastrophic illness”. Not to be confused with overworking, workaholic syndrome is a very real and very common occurrence in many developed countries. In fact, in the Netherlands, where it is termed “leisure illness”, it is estimated to affect upwards of 3% of their entire population. Japan estimates that karoshi or “death by overwork” accounts for nearly 10,000 deaths of working men in their country every year. Canada has an entire third of their people who consider themselves workaholics. In the U.S. it is referred to as the “respectable addiction” and currently there have not been any comprehensive studies to estimate the portion of the public who are affected. However, what is well-researched and documented is that Americans generally work longer hours and use fewer vacation days than their European and Japanese peers. Therefore, one could extrapolate that workaholism should be more rampant as well.

Interestingly, the American Psychiatric Association classifies workaholism as a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder and can actually be a manifestation of deeper emotion issues such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and intimacy problems. For typical workaholics, there is actually a physiological response to the chronic, obsessive, and often manic episodes of overwork. Studies have shown that huge surges of adrenaline are produced and that this constant supercharged state can exact enormous tolls on body system functions and hormone balance. In fact, it is these floods of adrenaline, which become the source of addiction for workaholics with many often forming actually physical dependency. From conversations with Dr. Jeffrey P. Kahn, MD, a Manhattan psychiatrist and a consultant for the American Psychiatric Association committee on psychiatry in the workplace, a recent special report on workaholism notes, “Workaholics’…think about work constantly and if unable to work, feel panicky or depressed. They resist taking breaks or rewarding themselves with vacations. If they must take vacations, they’re likely to be highly scheduled and goal-oriented…[they] need goals to aim for. [They] push and push, and as they approaching their goal, they need the next goal. A workaholic is not able to stop and enjoy their accomplishments.”

Even perhaps more tragic are the consequences for the families of those afflicted with workaholic syndrome. Those living with workaholics tend to report greater marital estrangement, higher divorce rates, and a general lack of an ability to control their lives. Children in families with workaholics may be the hardest hit. One man who for much of his professional life routinely worked 70-80 hour weeks with weekends often thrown in acknowledges that his young children basically lost their father for an entire decade. He admits, “I can’t remember any interaction with my kids. All three have told me that at some point they wanted to leave home. I was so busy completing the process of each day, I didn’t realize I wasn’t present for my family.”

However, if this sounds like you take heart because there is help out there. Just as with any addiction there are many programs around to offer guidance and support, particularly Workaholics Anonymous. For many, all that is needed is to reconnect with their feelings and to admit that their behavior is destructive, neurotic, and quite easily deadly. Also it is important for sufferers to recognize the fact that such mental and emotion damage can actually make them a less effective worker. Plus taking on a more moderate workload will leave time for activities that you truly love to do, which will in turn create it’s own healthy and sustainable rush. Who knows, you may even finally get to see that movie everyone is always talking about or read that book that has always intrigued you. Just make sure you don’t fall into the trap of seeing how fast you can read the story.

Sources

Wiliams, R.B. The Hidden Cost of Workaholism. The Financial Post. 10 July 2009. http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpposted/archive/2009/07/10/the-hidden-costs-of-workaholism.aspx

Stein, L. Workaholism: Special Report. Consumer Health Interactive. 29 April 2009. http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/workaholism

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