7 Signs You’re a Workaholic & How You Can Manage It

If you consider that you may be a workaholic, you should not be ashamed. 

Workaholism is more than just a trendy word. It's an addiction that can severely affect one's personal and work life. Let's see what workaholic means and how you can overcome it. 

What's a Workaholic?

A workaholic is a person who has an irresistible urge to work, regardless if they want to or not. It is different from truly loving your job and being overworked; it's a genuine addiction.

According to the American Psychological Association, workaholism is "the compulsive need to work and to do so to an excessive degree. A workaholic is one who has trouble refraining from work."

When a person is overworked, in most cases, the issue comes from an outside source. For instance, their boss is demanding and puts pressure on them to work overtime. One can be overworked and be a workaholic at the same time. However, workaholism can also happen in healthy work environments, as it is more about one's work habits and motivations.

7 Signs You're a Workaholic

Here are some signs you may be a workaholic:

1. You always bring work home. Nowadays, it's easier to check your work email from your phone, which can disrupt your personal life.   

2. You don't like calling yourself a workaholic. Your family members might have said that you work too much and they don't see you around often. They called you a 'workaholic', but you don't think of yourself as one, just someone who works hard.

3. You work to feel happy. One dangerous thing about workaholism is that it's always rewarded. When coworkers saw you working late, they would say something like, "you're very diligent".

What's dangerous is when your identity becomes wrapped up in your work. You want people to see you as a good worker, so you work long hours to please them and get recognised.  

But in the long run, becoming a people pleaser will only burn you out.

4. You spend most of your time at work. A full-time job takes up only 40 hours (give or take) of one's week. If you work way longer than that, and you miss important events, sleep, errands or family time just to get work done, you may have a problem. 

5. You work to avoid bad feelings. You avoid your depression, loneliness, anxiety and other issues by staying late at work.

6. You feel stressed when you're not working. When you try to take a break, you can't stop thinking about work. You can relax for some time, but then your mind thinks about all the unfinished projects you could get done if you just work a little more. 

7. You don't remember when you last took a break. Do you even remember when you last took a lunch break? You prefer to eat at your desk, even when the company encourages everyone to step away from work to recharge their minds. 

If you recognise several of these signs, it may be time to face the music and begin developing some healthy habits. Workaholism isn't a badge of glory, but it's also not a source of shame. 

If you recognise you have an unhealthy relationship with your job, don't punish yourself. Simply be honest and proud of yourself for making the efforts to improve.

7 Methods to Get Over Workaholism

Here are seven methods for overcoming workaholism:

1. Commit to resolving the issue. Admitting that there is a problem is the first step for anyone battling addiction. You'll have the drive to make a change once you've admitted it to yourself and determined that you want to change. Remember the light at the end of the tunnel. Aim for a less stressful, more engaged, and more rested version of yourself.

2. Speak with your manager. Sit down with your boss and have an open discussion about the behaviours you've noticed in yourself, and see if you can devise a strategy to alter those habits. A good manager will not want you to have a poor work-life balance or to feel overwhelmed and stressed, especially if it affects your job performance.

If you have too much on your plate, your manager may be able to assist you by ensuring that all work is distributed evenly among the team members or by deprioritising certain jobs. Or perhaps they can simply check in every now and again to hold you responsible for taking a lunch break.

3. Start setting boundaries.

It may be difficult at first, but practice leaving work on time, not checking work email when you get home, and not doing anything work-related over the weekend. You would need an accountability companion for this, or you could try hiding your phone somewhere in your house that is not immediately accessible.

This is especially difficult if you work from home—you or someone you care about may need to compel you to turn off the computer at 5 p.m. It may sting the first few times, but pushing through and seeing nothing horrible happens is a step toward the right path.

4. Rest on purpose.

Make room in your calendar for rest. Mark it on your planner if necessary. Make a list of things you used to enjoy doing for fun and make an effort to accomplish them.

Take advantage of your annual leave by booking a vacation or simply resting at home.

Again, an accountability companion who can take your phone away and help you have fun is recommended. But, whatever you do, prioritise rest. It will improve your work and help you maintain your long-term health.

5. Strive for health in all aspects of your life. Take some real measures toward being healthy in various ways, not only through your work. Ensure you're eating well, drinking enough water, sleeping well, and staying fit (especially if you have a desk job). Every day, take a little time to reflect and be thankful. All of these things might assist relieve tension, which you might otherwise deal with by working additional hours.

6. Seek professional assistance. If workaholism seems like a bigger problem than you can handle on your own, you should contact a trained counsellor or therapist. They can help you talk through why you're having trouble and provide you with the tools you need to get better.

They can also assist you in processing any uncomfortable feelings that you are avoiding through your job.

7. Are you in the right job? If you've read through this article and think, "that's great and all, but that would never work with my job", you might need a new one. 

Maybe you work in a hostile workplace that contributes to your drive to strive and prove yourself, or perhaps you know your manager would scoff at the thought of you taking a vacation. Consider those factors carefully, and remember that no work is worth jeopardising your health.

Ultimately, the challenge for you is to identify the signs of workaholism and prevent its consequences. When you focus on your engagement and ability to "switch off", you will find it easier to feel happy at work and outside of it. 

Source: Ramsey Solutions