Hard work and workaholism are not synonyms, even though they are often confused in our society, which emphasizes work performance. So if you are one of the lucky ones who love their profession, are you sure you are not on the path to addiction?
Hard work in the sense of enjoying your job and workaholism as a pathological addiction to it. You might ask yourself, who wouldn’t recognize in time that the former is turning into the latter? The vast majority of workaholics have failed to do so, and not because they are not intelligent enough. They are usually educated individuals whose families placed a high value on performance.
Let’s say you work hard from morning to night and take overtime when necessary. You are the embodiment of today’s employers’ dream (perhaps workaholics, who knows?). Sure, you want to achieve something, build a career, take care of the company if you are an entrepreneur. And, of course, you also want to provide for your family and buy a decent home. Do people call you a workaholic? You argue that we all experience times when tasks pile up at work and we have to grit our teeth to get everything done. Which is true. Just as a bad mood does not necessarily mean depression, you may be going through a difficult period, not a problem.
On the other hand, this is exactly how workaholics respond (usually irritably). So how do you tell the difference?
When the chips are down
Like any addiction, workaholism is insidious and sneaky. You should be on your guard if “I have a lot of work to do right now” becomes a long-term condition. That’s when the chips are down. Are you able to get off this merry-go-round as soon as the need for hard work subsides? Are you looking forward to finally taking a breather, going to a football game, or taking your children to an exhibition? A workaholic will never do this.
You may be surprised to learn that they may not even enjoy what they do. And they don’t even go to work for the money. They just need to perform at work. They only feel happy when they are working (thanks to the adrenaline), but it is only a momentary satisfaction, like that provided by drugs, and they pay dearly for it. How? With a disrupted personal life and their own health.
How are you doing?
How can you tell that the orange light on the traffic light will soon turn red?
- You are spending more and more time at work
Just as a drug addict’s body craves larger and larger doses of drugs in order to function, you need to work more and more. Your judgment disappears, and classic addiction takes over. - It is not desire that drives you to work, but compulsion
In the evening, you have a birthday party waiting for you at home, you are supposed to go to a guitar concert, your friends want to take you to a poker party. But the prospect of enjoyable activities is overwhelmed by the urge to continue working. Work is everything to you; you prioritize it over your partner, children, parents, and friends. - When you happen to not be working, you feel guilty
Doing nothing is a punishment because when you’re not working, you’re not good enough. If your partner persuades you to watch a movie or go out into nature on Sunday afternoon, your thoughts will still be at work. And vacation? That’s a nightmare! - You associate success with performance
Joy from work? You may feel it for a brief moment when you achieve your goal. But then it is immediately overshadowed by the prospect of the next task, which you immediately embark on. - Colleagues and co-workers are lazy
At least you can see that, because they really do perform less well than you. You don’t hold back on criticism, and your boss, who doesn’t realize that you’re addicted, supports you. That is, until you collapse…
Recognizing the problem as the first step to successful treatment
Workaholism is an unsustainable lifestyle, and sooner or later, the consequences will show up. These include:
- sleep problems, headaches, backaches, stomachaches, high blood pressure
- loss of appetite or overeating
- tendency to smoke more, drink alcohol, take drugs
- difficulty paying attention and concentrating, anxiety and depression
- nervousness, aggression, low self-esteem
- burnout syndrome, sometimes even physical collapse
Despite the symptoms, workaholics do not see the problem in themselves. Only when they recognize the seriousness of their problem and are willing to work on recovery can real treatment begin.
Of course, unlike alcoholics or gamblers, they have a harder time because work cannot be banned. It can only be regulated and a work-life balance maintained. As part of their rehabilitation, workaholics learn to strictly adhere to working hours, focus their attention on hobbies, and devote attention to their family and loved ones. Above all, they need to uncover the roots of their addiction and work on their inner selves. Therapy is more than desirable in this case.
In order for our students to eliminate the risk of workaholism, we pay great attention to the mental hygiene of managers as part of our MBA program, specifically in the popular subject of Personal Development Management. We realize that only by adhering to these principles can we be effective and successful at work without harming ourselves in other areas of life.
