We married work -- The complete manual to reduce stress

Author: Xie Zheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: China is entering the peak period of work burnout, and work burnout has become a social "epidemic." Work burnout is an inevitable result of social development to a certain extent. — Professor Xu Yan from the Psychology Department of Beijing Normal University
Life is like a ball-tossing game. Your hands must alternately toss five balls: work, family, health, friends, and spiritual life, and you cannot let any ball fall. You will soon discover: work is a rubber ball. If it falls, it will bounce back. But the other four balls—"family," "health," "friends," and "spiritual life"—are made of glass. If you let any one of them fall, it will be damaged or even shattered. — CEO of Coca-Cola, Dison
People who are overworked are chasing death. — British scientist Beveridge
On the evening of September 16, the arson attack on a Chinese shoe store in Spain shocked the world, but it "was not racial discrimination." It was because the Chinese "were obsessed with making money," a Spanish shopkeeper said. "Chinese people work all day long, never closing for lunch, and have no holidays or weekends. They almost drove us out of business." The diligence of the Chinese clashes with the traditional values of the Spanish, who believe that "family, friends, and leisure are more important than making money." The Chinese "working all day long" is not an eternal virtue. — Journalist from the U.S. Christian Science Monitor
Twenty years ago, Japan—In one year, the CEOs of 12 major companies in Japan, such as the famous Seiko Company, Kawasaki Ironworks, and All Nippon Airways, suddenly died, most of them in their 40s and 50s. Why did these top executives, who enjoyed excellent living and medical conditions, fail to reach Japan's average male life expectancy of 76 years? Twenty years later, around us—This year, we have bid farewell to too many young people. The phrase "early death" seems to have been used too often. Sudden cardiac death, diabetes, and cancer—diseases once unrelated to young people—have struck healthy lives repeatedly this year, killing one heartbeat after another. On November 7, 2004, Wang Junyao, the bold and daring chairman of the Junyao Group, passed away in Shanghai at the age of 38 after succumbing to colon cancer. On April 8, 2004, Yang Mai, the CEO of Ericsson (China), died of a heart attack after days of overwork while on a treadmill at a fitness center. Dan Liang, a 22-year-old senior student at Southwest Jiaotong University, was studying while working part-time at four jobs. He had excellent grades and was selected as a direct-admitted graduate student. Yet, he tragically passed away on the morning of June 13. Coincidentally, a Ph.D. student at the Chinese Academy of Sciences also died after catching a cold. Medical investigations revealed that the cause was "burnout leading to sudden death."
A recent survey by the China Human Resources Development Network shows that the global phenomenon of work burnout is now affecting China. A questionnaire survey on the health of white-collar workers in Beijing revealed that fewer than 5% consider themselves physically and mentally healthy. The remaining 95% of white-collar office workers are experiencing varying degrees of "sub-health" symptoms. The work of white-collar professionals is like a high-speed spinning top. "It seems that true rest can only come when I rest forever." This may not be just a joke from a business tycoon.
There is an ancient question: Why do we work? Do we work for life? Then what is life? Is life simply living without falling behind others financially? When work depletes our lives, how should we answer? Is life what we marry into work? Unconsciously, work has become the only center of our lives: intentionally or unintentionally, we have ignored the essence of life and been confused about its true meaning.
To address this phenomenon, the author of this book conducted an in-depth social investigation, using detailed interview materials, statistical data, and vivid examples to show us the living and pressure conditions of modern people, especially white-collar professionals and intellectuals. At the same time, it raises many questions for us to ponder: How did we unknowingly marry ourselves to work? And to whom did we marry ourselves? Did we really gain tangible benefits for society, companies, families, or ourselves by marrying work? Who is the ultimate winner?
Acknowledging and accepting the social reality of "marrying work," how can we rediscover life—happiness? Open this book, and you will find the answers.