from Forbes:

"Corporate pressure doesn't create workaholics any more than supermarkets create obesity or liquor stores create drunks. A workaholic is driven to put in long hours by internal needs, typically a desire to escape intimacy and social relationships.

Workaholics often come from dysfunctional homes and have learned that putting in crushing hours helps calm their anxiety about other aspects of life. But like heavy drinking or overeating, workaholism only masks the underlying problem while creating other difficulties.

A hard worker will sprint at the office, handling prodigious amounts of work efficiently and well. Such people know how to relax and enjoy life away from the office and share outside interests with family and friends. But a workaholic constantly thinks and talks about work, even when at home or on the ski slopes. As a result, the workaholic's family suffers, and despite long hours at the office, productivity lags."

Interesting..