I notice that a lot of people, including myself, have a
less-than-ideal attitude to work. The idea that work is something to
be dreaded, that it’s a burden, that it should be avoided whenever
possible, is something I see expressed and implied on TV, radio, and
in real life.

Yet many of the people I admire have a reputation of being total
workaholics, with very solid work ethics.

I want to know what resources are on the internet about work, how to
handle work, how to become a workaholic, and philosophies of work.

There are various develop resources on the web that will help you
improve your attitude toward work, and I will list them later.

Allow me to get a few things across on a personal note. I think that
work has to be enjoyable, rewarding, challenging, and it should allow
you to expand your horizons.  Becoming a workaholic isn't a very good
choice, in my opinion. The challenge isn’t working hard, but working
smart. I believe that the basis of that is organization. People who
are able to organize their lives and think ahead of schedule should be
the envied ones. You have to think of the long term benefits and not
be bogged down by the fallacies of instant gratification.

The basis of improving your work ethic is discipline and organization.
I would say that another important aspect which may be overlooked by
some is inspiration. A person needs to be inspired to do something. I
get my inspiration from my girlfriend. We both plan things out and try
to organize our time while at the same time keeping our hopes high
that everything we’re doing now will pay off in the future. Balancing
your time is nevertheless the key.

I have personally read many self-help books because I felt that I
wasn’t being productive. In fact, I spent more time thinking about the
fact that I’m not productive rather than being productive. There was a
time in my life where I was doing really well, then things suddenly
slumped, and now they’re picking up again and I’m once again a
responsible person – or at least I hope so.

Let me tell you where I get my inspiration from.
-People who are close to me (girlfriend, family, roommate)
-Music 
-Films which show success stories
-Biographies of famous people
-Quotes (which I often put up on my wall)

You have to think about what inspires you. Maybe you should join a
community which will help you organize and improve your life. One such
place which I had personally been a part of in the past and I can say
is very inspiring and supportive is at:
[http://www.getorganizednow.com]

You’ll find a myriad of different tips and articles on how to become a
more productive person and share your problems and ideas with others
in the community forum.

Also keep in mind that your environment has a huge influence on your
behavior. Now this varies from person to person, but I’ll give you a
nice example. I had lived with various roommates, and I can tell you
that the more disciplined they were, the more disciplined I was. If
they slacked off, I was very likely to loosen up my work habits as
well.

Now I realize that I am not talking about how to become a workaholic,
but I think we both should agree that self-discipline sets the
foundation for solid work ethics. Here’s a nice quote I had found:

“The one quality which sets one man apart from another-the key which
lifts one to every aspiration while others are caught up in the mire
of mediocrity-is not talent, formal education, nor intellectual
brightness-it is self discipline.

With self-discipline, all things are possible. Without it, even the
simplest goal can seem like the impossible dream.”

Theodore Roosevelt
Source: The Neuropsychology of Self-Discipline Main Page
[http://www.sybervision.com/Discipline/npsdmain.htm]

In order to prevent you from becoming an alcoholic, here’s a link to
an unofficial Workaholics Anonymous site, with information on how to
contact the official organization:
[http://wa.home.attbi.com/]

A very nice book which is available online as an eBook for free is
Psychological Self-Help by Clayton Tucker-Ladd, available at:
[http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/]

I had personally read quite a bit of the book above and I think it is
a very good tutorial.

Another book which I found that is available online but for a small
fee is entitled Self Help Book on Positive Work Attitude and
Motivation in the Workplace by S. Louise Underdahl. Here’s the link:
[http://www.soulofwork.com/soulofwork.html]

I’m listing some useful links to articles I had found below:

Online Work Ethic Lessons
[http://www.coe.uga.edu/workethic/on_linelesson.htm]

Article on Self-Discipline
[http://www.yogaworld.org/amazing/discipline.htm]

Personal article by Michael Robson 
“Hi, I’m a workaholic and I love what I do!”
[http://articles.studentcenter.org/index/43]

And last, but not least, something I am grudgingly listing here:
[http://www.radlogic.demon.co.uk/page14.html]

The link above is a brief on how to become a workaholic. 

I would give you a lot more links and resources, but I think that if
you read and apply what you read from the sources above you’ll be on
your way to becoming more productive.

You may also want to buy a book from the local bookstore on Self-Help.
There are quite a few and I found that no matter which one I pick,
they always give me boost, even if for a little while.

I hope that my answer satisfies your inquiry. Just remember to never
give up and always strive to become the person that you’d like to be.
Don’t work too much, life’s too short. All work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy.

Best of luck,

pmrozik-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by pmrozik-ga on 21 Nov 2002 05:33 PST

I apologize for the error in the first sentence. You should read it
without 'develop.' Not quite sure how I got that in there.

pmrozik-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by markabe-ga on 28 Nov 2002 01:45 PST

How about some websites/articles that address how to increase one's
capacity for work?

---

Clarification of Answer by pmrozik-ga on 28 Nov 2002 15:14 PST

In order to increase your work capacity, start by doing the following:

-Get regular sleep
-Eat regularly
-Exercise

Here are some additional links, as you requested. Take a look at the
first article in particular:

AskMen.com - Get More Work Done In Less Time
[http://www.askmen.com/money/career/17_career.html]

Five Steps To Increase Productivity
[http://www.socap.org/Publications/Quicktakes/5stepsprod.html]

Putting It All Together - Tips on how to stay healthy physically and
mentally
[http://www.uihealthcare.com/news/wellandgood/2002issue4/putittogether.html]

A self help and mental training site
[http://www.mindtraining.net/]

Good luck!

pmrozik-ga

This will keep me busy for a while. I'll use it to be a better worker,
without becoming a workaholic. Excekllent job!

markabe,

One can have a very good, solid work ethic, without being a
workaholic.

In fact, it is MOST desirable to do a good job of balancing private
life and work, rather than to be a workaholic.

It is important for a person's mental health that they have sufficient
time away from work to enjoy (or find) a significant other, children
(if that's part of the picture), friends, and hobbies or interests.

It is also important for a person's physical health that they have
time away from work, to relax, to get some fresh air and exercise, and
to not have to worry about the problems or pressures at work for
awhile.

Workaholics tend to die younger, from heart attacks, high cholesterol
and blood pressure. It is also believed there may be some connection
between a person's continuous stress level and susceptibility to
severe illnesses and diseases like cancer.

Yes, you should try to approach work with a positive attitude each
day. Try to find some aspect of your work where you feel you make
something a little better for someone, and take satisfaction in that.
And when you have put in your hours and made a good effort for your
employer, it's time to leave the building. Go enjoy your friends and
loved ones. Play a little.

These things will make you happier at work AND at home.

Regards,

aceresearcher

Dear Markabe,
       hello,




The official working week is being reduced to 35 hours a week. In most
countries in the world, it is limited to 45 hours a week. The trend
during the last century seems to be unequivocal: less work, more play.

Yet, what may be true for blue-collar workers or state employees is
not necessarily so for white-collar members of the liberal
professions. It is not rare for these people lawyers, accountants,
consultants, managers, and academics to put in 80-hour weeks. The
phenomenon is so widespread and its social consequences so damaging
that it acquired the unflattering nickname: workaholism, a combination
of the words "work" and "alcoholism". Family life is disrupted,
intellectual horizons narrow, the consequences to the workaholic's
health are severe: fat, lack of exercise, stress take their toll.
Classified as "alpha" types, workaholics suffer three times as many
heart attacks as their peers.
 Men generally tend to consider relaxation to be a waste of precious
time. We simply do not put high value on relaxation. We evaluate
ourselves more on measurable things such as personal achievements and
financial worth not emotional wellness. We often tend to feel guilty
if we aren't constantly being productive.
This sense of guilt usually arises from our parents` pre-adolescent
brainwashing. They taught us to achieve and perform; to continuously
strive to become Superman.

markabe, 
 
I believe that pmrozik has provided you excellent value for your fee.

For future reference, you may want to review the Google pricing
guidelines:
  
https://answers.google.com/answers/pricing.html   
  
if you desire a more elaborate response.  
  
Regards, 
 
aceresearcher