In a nation of overachievers, hard work is a virtue. If you work hard, you'll achieve your goals. If you work even harder, you'll achieve even more. Right?

    在一個滿是優等生的國度，勤勞是一種美德。如果你努力工作的話，你會實現你的目標。如果你更努力的話，你將得到更多。真的是這樣嗎？

    Perhaps not. There are, in fact, several downsides to working too hard. Being the office workaholic can cost you coveted promotions, hurt your home life, and even turn friends into enemies. Evaluate yourself with the following five questions.

    可能并不是這樣的。實際上，工作太努力有很多不利面。成為辦公室的工作狂會毀掉你夢寐以求的晉升機會，危害你的家庭生活，甚至會讓朋友反目成仇。用以下5個問題來評估下你自己吧。

    1. Are you busy … or disorganized?

    你是很忙還是無條理？

    Are you constantly staying late and coming in early yet producing the same output as others? If so, your boss may come to view you as inefficient and possibly disorganized. Dave Cheng, an executive coach with Athena Coaching, says, "There are some people, type A's, who get a lot of satisfaction from doing lots of work, but the quality isn't necessarily superior."

    你是否經常早到晚退，但和其他人的工作成效還是一樣的？如果是這樣的話，你的上司可能會開始覺得你是個做事沒效率，甚至是沒有條理的人。Athena Coaching公司的行政教練Dave Cheng說："有很多人，A類人，他們從做很多工作中得到滿足，但做事的質量卻并不值得他們驕傲。"

    Focus on getting your work done in a reasonable time frame. If you have perfectionism or time-management issues, ask your supervisor to help you prioritize things and learn when to let go of a task. Cheng says, "Just because you're working longer doesn't mean you're working better."

    在合理的時間內專注地做完你的工作。如果你是個完美主義者，或在時間管理上有困難，那就叫你的主管幫你的工作區分出先后順序，并學會放棄一項任務。陳說："僅僅因為你工作的時間長并不能說明你工作得更好。"

    2. Are you delegating … or hoarding?

    你在分權還是攬權

    If you have any aspirations at all to move into management, you must learn to delegate work. Again, tasks need to be completed in a timely fashion; if you're having trouble finishing a project, you must delegate to other team members, even if you happen to relish the task you're giving away.

    如果你非常渴望進入管理層，那你必須學會分配工作。再次強調，工作任務需要及時完成。如果你在完成一個項目時碰到了困難，那你就要分給其他隊員一起做，即使你這樣做會被人取笑。

    Cheng, who has more than 12 years of experience in corporate human resources, reveals, "Some workers feel like if they do everything and they're the only one who knows how to do it, they're making themselves irreplaceable. However, sharing information and teaching others around you is a valued skill as far as management is concerned."

    陳有超過12年的人力資源經驗，他指出說"有些工人覺得，如果他們做了所有的事情，那他們就是唯一知道該怎么做這些事情的人，自己就無法被取代了。然而，分享信息以及教你身旁的人也是管理層必需的寶貴技能。"

    Focus on completion and quality and be generous enough to let a colleague learn and shine. If you lack sufficient support, ask your boss about expanding your group.

    將重點放在完成和質量上，并且大方地讓你的同事向你學習，做出他們的成績。如果你缺少充分的支持，就可以要求你的上司擴展你的團隊。

    3. Are you hungry … or is your plate full?

    你是餓著還是你的盤子已經滿了？

    Once you've solidified your reputation as the office workaholic, you may find that when your dream project comes through the door, you aren't asked to work on it. Why? Your boss probably thinks you don't have the bandwidth to take on anything else. Always keep a bit of room in your schedule to sink your teeth into new challenges and opportunities.

    一旦你被稱為辦公室的工作狂之后，你可能會發現當你理想的項目下來的時候，你卻無法參與其中。這是為什么呢？你的老板可能認為你沒有多余的精力來分心在其他事情上。一直要在你的日程表上留出一點空間，這樣你才能接觸新的挑戰和機會。

    Cheng reminds professionals, "Your ability to say no to certain things gives you the freedom to say yes to others."

    陳提醒職場人士說："你拒絕一些事情的能力同時也給了你做其他事情的自由。"

    4. Do you have friends … or 'frenemies'?

    你是在交朋友還是在樹敵？

    Your workaholic ways are likely alienating once-valued associates. Above and beyond the obvious grumblings of, "You're making the rest of us look bad," your colleagues may dread collaborating on a project with you.

    你的工作狂狀態可能會疏遠以前重要的同事。這已經遠遠超出了抱怨的范圍了"你讓我們其他人看起來很差勁。"你的同事可能都害怕和你共做一個項目。

    Lose the overly methodical approach, don't expect folks to come in early or stay late for meetings, and focus on process and outcome.

    丟掉有條不紊的態度，也不要期望人們開會的時候早到、晚退，將重點放在過程和結果上。

    5. Do you work to live … or live to work?

    你工作是為了生活還是你活著就是為了工作？

    The best workers are well-rounded professionals with full lives, in and out of the office. Each year, new studies abound about the importance of vacations, hobbies, and enjoying your leisure time. But are you listening?

    最好的員工在職場內外都有豐富多彩的生活。每一年，新的調查都會強調假期、業余愛好、享受閑暇時間的重要性。但是你是否聽進去了呢？

    Your friends and family will be in your life a lot longer than you'll hold most jobs. Also, pursuing leisure activities you're passionate about can lead to a second career.

    你的親人和朋友在你生命中的時間比工作要長久得多。另外，追求你熱愛的業余愛好也可能會發展成為第二事業。

    Cheng concludes, "Work-life balance is a choice. If you reflexively say yes to taking on extra work, you may live to regret it."

    陳總結說"工作生活平衡是一種選擇。如果你違反本能去選擇更多的工作量的話，你一定會后悔。"