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FAST FACTS HAWAII
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Workaholics need balance in life
For workaholics clocking 70 or more hours a week, skipping vacations and bringing work home with them, the threat of job cuts amid a shaky economy sends this message: Work harder.
As more companies downsize, about a million people already obsessed with work are now driven by fear that they'll lose their jobs if they are unable to prove they are a valuable asset to their company, said John Liptak, author of the recently released book "Career Quizzes."
"Workaholics feel they need to take it to the next level to prove to their employer that they are capable and worthwhile for retention," Liptak said. "In today's society, the trend is to purchase and consume too much, and to work harder in order to keep that lifestyle. It becomes a vicious cycle and affects their stress level, their family, their health and even their ability to function at their job."
Liptak offered these tips to balance life and a career:
» Make time for relationships with friends and family. Try scheduling dates in a calendar or planner to spend time with people until it becomes a permanent part of the day.
» Take time alone to reflect, recharge or meditate.
» Schedule small breaks, even if you feel that you don't need them. Setting small time slots can help maximize creativity, motivation and energy.
» Exercise. Working out can be an excellent stress-reliever.
» Take vacations, even if it just means lying in a hammock in your back yard.
Workers' e-mail may not be private
Next time you're grumbling about your boss to a friend or colleague via e-mail, remember that there may be another set of eyes scanning the words you're writing.
More than 40 percent of U.S. companies with 20,000 or more employees have staff who monitor outbound e-mail, according to a recent survey by Forrester Research for e-mail security company Proofpoint Inc.
"Most employees are aware of and accept the fact that there is technology monitoring their e-mail, but most don't realize there is actually someone other than the intended recipient reading and interpreting them," said Keith Crosley, director of market development for Proofpoint.
Crosley said companies should make sure their employees know they are being monitored. Meanwhile, employees should make sure they understand company policy. Often, any online activity that is not work-related - shopping online, planning a dinner date or chatting with friends on social networking sites - can be the basis for disciplinary measures, including termination.
"Making people aware is the best way to enforce security policies," he said. "If people know that what they're doing is not private, they may be more reluctant to put things out there."
Of the e-mails that were found to have violated company policy, obscene or potentially offensive content was the most common offense, followed by leaks of confidential information and personal data, according to the online survey.
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