Get a Life!

Sara is a junior partner at her law firm. She works 80 hours a week "just to keep up".(manter o ritmo) Stan is a financial planner.(planejador financeiro) He works 60-hour weeks because he wants to retire when he is 35. Sara and Stan are working more hours each year, and spending less time with their families. Sara and Stan are like many people around the world. They are workaholics.(viciados em trabalho)

Could you be a workaholic? Answer these questions:

Do you get to work or school earlier and leave later than you did a year ago?

Do you often catch colds and have backaches, stomachaches, or headaches?

Do you take short vacations, or none at all?

Do you think about work when you're not at work?

Is your career or your schoolwork all you think about?

Have you lost your sense of humor?

Do you feel restless(impaciente) and irritable when you're not working or studying?

Do you wake up feeling tired, even after a full night's sleep?

If you answered "yes" to more than four questions, you may be a workaholic. Many experts believe the best way to overcome(superar) workaholism is to have a healthy balance between work and play. Some companies are trying to help employees balance their lives by providing benefits like flexible work schedules, family leave for employees who are new parents, and on-site day care for children. These employers know that a balanced life results in a happier, healthier, more productive employee.