Workaholism: where do YOU draw the line?

I think that the message of the movie is simply "make family come first when you still have time". I completely agree with this. I knew that, but the movie helped me realize that even better.

Time goes by while we spend most of our time for work or personal pleasures but we always postpone our most loved ones. We always fast forward our lives for work or for pleasures. In other words for things we are addicted to. This is a serious, irrecoverable mistake. It is impossible to make those mistakes unmade, like it is impossible to return the remote or clear its memory.

So, call and visit your mom and dad as often as you can, while they are still alive. Spend time with your wife, husband, kids while you still have time. Family MUST come first because life is short, too short to waste with meaningless addictions.

I think the movie is more about greed and envy is bad. He was working really hard because he wanted to give his family all the cool expensive stuff his neighbors had, or other people had that he wanted. His heart was in the right place but he realized while trying to get those things he was neglecting his family.

Having a really nice expensive RV while going camping is nice but you can still enjoy camping with a tent where all of you have to cuddle together to keep warm.

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"But of course, in the real world, being a workaholic is inevitable for many people, you can't just tell your boss to go away, or not put in the hours if the work requires it."

Sure thing. But Michael is NOT in such position:
- Is he ever threatened with getting fired if he passes on these projects? All his boss said was "I'll get xxx on it". Ames doesn't even hint at any sort of reprisal or career speedbump. He only puts carrots in front of Michael, never once brandishes a stick.
- Michael is by no means poor. He clearly can afford to get another job (job hunt/interview in secret) if this one is that insufferable.

"Michael's initial success wasn't really earned; he cheated by avoiding difficult conversations and using the clicker to hear what the clients were thinking, thus avoiding failure."

Dude, winners are winners because they SCORED, not because of HOW they scored. That means luck, connections and chance (like being asked just what you're really good at in an interview that could have very well gone horribly had they asked something you didn't know that well) often play a major part. Even with the remote's help he could've screwed up the salvage pitch out of shyness/cowardice/nerves/whatever, yet he didn't and scored big time.

"His adult children still adored him (such is the power of unconditional love) but his wife couldn't go on playing second fiddle to his career. "

It's called remaining on his good side to avoid getting cut out of the will. The ex-wife however being an ex can no longer hope for that and thus can afford to yet I HATE YOU at the top of her lungs.

"Where do you draw the line between being an honest hard worker and someone who works too hard for their own good?"

Wherever you can afford. Many workaholics work also out of choice, not need (their drive for recognition/success/wealth is bigger than their need for home time). The movie shows that precisely: Michael puts that much time at work not really out of need, but out of having a huge chip on his shoulder. I mean what other proof you need but to see his behaviour in auto-pilot when he's a CEO? He was just as busy and distant from his family if not more, so clearly he's neglecting his family not out of need.