Being a workaholic can have many negative repercussions in your life if you do not get your addiction under control. Just like most addictions, very often, the person who is addicted to work doesn’t see their addiction for what it is.
Their reasons for working so hard are often plausible on the surface. They’re trying to progress in life or provide for their family or they love their job and so on.
While all these reasons sound good, the results in their lives reflect something totally different. They’ve let their health slide because they’re overworking themselves. Relationship with the spouse is strained and they’re a stranger to their family members. They’re also highly stressed out and life seems to have lost its purpose… and work is the only thing keeping them going. It can be extremely hard admitting to yourself that you’re a workaholic. A few common signs have been listed below. If you agree with 2 or more of them, you’re probably a workaholic and will need to take steps to remedy this problem.
You’re always working
This is the most obvious sign. You can easily work 12 to 14 hours a day and it seems normal to you. In some cases, it could go up to 16 hours or more. While some minimum wage jobs have 12-hour shifts, these are mandated by the company and you’re given rest days too. However, when you’re working from home and subjecting yourself to such long hours daily with minimal rest, you’re a workaholic.
You have no time for your family
Most workaholics put their family commitments in second place. Work always comes first. Family events, communication, dinner time, etc. are all distractions that get in the way of work. A workaholic believes that his family is holding him/her down when they’re desperately trying to provide for them. It’s a strange contradiction because, in the process of providing for their family, they almost end up losing them. If you often let down your friends and family because of work, you just might be a workaholic.
What’s a holiday?
Workaholics are so busy working that they rarely even think of taking a vacation. If the last time you went on a holiday was years ago, you’re probably a workaholic.
You think about work all the time
If you do go on a vacation, but keep thinking about work, you’re definitely a workaholic. Be where you are and enjoy the mental break. Leave the stress of work at the workplace. A workaholic thinks about work while having their meals or talking to others or even watching TV. They can’t think of anything else besides their work commitments.
Addicted to stimulants
Most workaholics are either addicted to caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine. Very often, caffeine is used to keep them alert so that they can keep going even when they’re tired. Alcohol and cigarettes help them to calm down because the stress at work gets to them and these deleterious habits are their coping mechanisms.
You’re a perfectionist
Workaholics tend to be perfectionists or they have unrealistically high standards for themselves. The work can always be better and improved upon. They dislike delegating their work because they don’t want to lose control and feel like others will not be able to do as good a job as them. As a result, their hands are full and their workload never decreases.
If you see yourself displaying any of these signs, it’s time to accept that you’re a workaholic and take steps to fix the problem. Speak to a professional and find alternatives to your way of life. Recognition and acceptance of the problem is the first step. From there, it’s just a matter of better time management, increasing your productivity, and learning to delegate more so that you can maintain a good work-life balance.
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