A Road to Recovery: Detoxing Tips For Workaholics
Are you someone with goals that you’re willing to sacrifice time and comforts to achieve? On the surface, that’s a mark of a dedicated worker, but could it also signal that you’re a workaholic? A spotlight has shined on questions like these and others in this hyper-aware era of mental health and mindfulness.
The blurred lines between a strong work ethic and an addiction to work isn’t a fad or a new age concept. Psychologists have studied workaholism for nearly 50 years. In the inner workings of corporate culture, a work addiction is considered less of an illness or condition and more of a badge of honor or status symbol. The hustle economy, the burnout generation, the celebration of entrepreneurs and startups, all of these phenomena are a bootstrap-y hat tips to the work standards of the past and an indication of innovation and elbow grease that it takes to succeed in the modern business milieu.
So what exactly is an addiction to work? There’s no clear cut definition, but there are some universal qualifiers. Motivation is one of the critical gauges of a workaholic versus a passionate worker with an uptick in productivity. What is the reasoning behind one’s obsessive dedication to working past business hours? Mental health advocates have diagnosed workaholism as a compulsive and excessive commitment to industry where the worker is unable to detach from the tasks at hand.
Additionally, there isn’t a definitive assessment on whether one is a skilled worker committed to the completion of professional pursuits or if one has a more underlying unhealthy bent towards work. Ultimately one must explore themselves to get the correct answer. Below are the questions one should employ when self-assessing about work addiction.
Do you often spend more time on a specific task than intended? Workaholics tend to get lost in even the most mundane objectives that cause delays to the completion of other work. Do you frequently work through lunch? Sometimes it’s necessary to forgo a meal and a mental reset to accomplish a project, but do you engage in this behavior more often than not?
Is work a means to overcome feelings of helplessness, anxiety, or guilt? Are you stressed or restless if hindered from doing work? Do you put leisurely endeavors and exercise on the backburner, so you have more opportunity and energy to assign to work? Do you work on weekends, on vacation, or in bed? Has your duty to work negatively impacted personal relationships and time with your family? Do you hide from others how much you’re working? Does fear of being a failure or losing your job if you don’t continue to work ever set in? Have health scares not encumbered the amount of work you put in?
Every previous question may not apply to you, but if enough do, it’s worth exploring and seeking professional help if your inclination is that you might be a workaholic. What are the adverse effects of workaholism?
If you’re a workaholic, you are likely doing a disservice to yourself in that you are not effectively delivering on each project. Your relationship with your colleagues can suffer if you’re putting your work addiction ahead of their feelings or willingness to openly communicate with them, thus hurting your standing in the company. If preoccupied with work, valuable family time, or time with a significant other, irrevocable damage can be done. Sleep deprivation may manifest into health issues or exacerbate existing ones. The negatives outweigh the positives in the long term.
Like most addictions, admitting that your actions affect your life is the first step to recovery. Quitting work cold turkey isn’t a viable option for the majority of people for apparent reasons. However, you can take steps to create a work-life balance that’s conducive to good health and happiness.
Take breaks more often. Walking away from your desk and the habit of putting your head down and powering through can make a significant difference, no matter how short the duration.
Create boundaries for yourself. Do not take on more work than you can handle. If you need more hours than 9-to-5 to clear your queue of daily or weekly work obligations, make compromises with yourself. Perhaps, after 8 pm, Monday through Friday, you disconnect from work. Set reminders of when it’s time to work and when it’s time to reset and adhere to them. Get comfortable unplugging.
Break the mental cycle of your workflow. No matter how hectic your schedule is, it’s crucial slow things down when your anxiety levels start to peak and ask yourself, why are you feeling the way you are and if what you feel compelled to get done is an actual priority at that moment. Realistically evaluate where you’re at psychologically when work starts to feel overwhelming.
Have someone you trust to hold you accountable. Disrupting your habit may require help from the outside. It’s hard at first to recognize your patterns and behaviors when you’re going through the motions, seeking an external perspective can support and expedite your commitment to change.
Practice meditation. It is becoming an increasingly standard practice in the corporate world for employees to engage in mindfulness and meditation. Sitting in silence and centering yourself can give you a and boost productivity and clear one’s mind if meditation becomes a routine.
The main objective in combating a work addiction is getting oneself self in a healthy environment where they can process and manage one’s expectations they set for themselves at work. A strong work ethic is an excellent quality, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get a job done is good when done in moderation.
Follow Carsten Thiel on his website and Twitter.
