[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Being committed to your work and wanting to do your best is one thing. But when it becomes the centre of your life, you may have a problem. Let us see how to recognise if you are a workaholic, the derived problems and what to do about it.
Signs that you are addicted to work
There are a number of indicators that you are more than a committed worker. The following signs tell you if you have become a workaholic.
Work is the centre of your life
Your work has become the most important thing. Any other commitment or activity is less important. You put them off because your work has priority and you always have something to do.
They need you at work because the company would fall apart without you. After all, nobody does the job as well as you. That is why you overload yourself with work and you do not know how to delegate.
Do you live for work or work to live? Find out if you are a #workaholic. #workaholism #workaddiction #addiction #stress Click To Tweet
You do not know how to disconnect and relax
How are you going to rest if you have so much work and so many important issues to solve? You always find an excuse to continue working or at least thinking about work. Rest is for others. You do not need it. Days off? This is an invention for people who are not as committed to their work as you. Because you do not have time.
You are the first to arrive at work and the last to leave. After all, someone has to get the job done. You work marathon-like days and still think it is not enough. Meals are a necessary evil. You eat something fast while you continue working without taking a break.
You are connected 24/7
Even after a long day at work, you continue to check and answer emails. You are available to the company any day at any time. Your worst nightmare is to run out of battery on your mobile phone or not having an internet connection.
Your house has become your second office
During meals with your family you still have an eye on your mobile phone in case any important email comes in. Or you may take the opportunity to read a top-priority report. Family activities seem like a nuisance because you have more important things to do; preparing a presentation, a report or whatever. With the excuse of not having time you take refuge in your work.
Do you think that if you don't do it nobody else will get the job done? You don't have time to #disconnect & #relax? Maybe you are a #workaholic Click To Tweet
You define yourself by your work
Your life is focused on your work. You define yourself by how important your work is and how committed you are as a worker. Your conversations revolve around your company and your work. You no longer have other conversation topics because the rest is anyway superfluous.
You define yourself by how busy you are
You think you are the busiest person in the world. Others do not seem to understand how important your work is. They do not seem to comprehend that the company could not survive without you. They should understand that your work commitments have priority over any other matter.
Do your conversations only revolve around #work and how #busy you are? You might be a #workaholic Click To Tweet
You cannot say no
No matter how much work you have, you would never refuse another assignment from your boss. “I cannot” and “I do not know” are not part of your vocabulary. Besides, a boss cannot be said no to.
Social life… what for?
Your social life is practically non-existent, unless we count work meetings and events. Having so much work, you do not have time to do activities with your family or meet with friends. The strange thing is that they do not seem to understand why you do not have time and they seem to take bad that you cannot be with them.
That is why your circle of good friends is very small. It is probably formed by other people as committed, i.e. workaholic as you. These and your work friends understand your situation better. However, if you changed jobs, how many friends would you have left?
You take your relationship for granted
You neglect your partner because you do not have time to spend together with them. When at home, you continue working. You have forgot that relationships need nurturing and that your partner may run out of patience one of these days.
Symptoms and problems arising from being a workaholic
In addition to the mentioned signs, you can recognise that you are a workaholic by a series of cognitive, behavioural and physiological symptoms. You are usually anxious, irritable and worried. You feel the need to control everything and plan so that your agenda is fuller than that of the prime minister. You suffer from constant stress and you may have insomnia.
All this will harm your health sooner or later. You are pretty likely to suffer an ulcer or a stroke. Your worst nightmare would be to be fired from work. Then your world would fall apart. You would no longer know what to do with yourself and you would probably fall into a deep depression.
Besides, you would surely find yourself with little support because you hardly have any friends left to turn to.
Constant #stress, irritability & #anxiety are only a few symptoms of #workaddiction. Other symptoms & problems. #Workaholic Click To Tweet
How to get out of the vicious circle of being a workaholic
Workaholism is comparable to the impulses and compulsive behaviours of other addictions. We believe we cannot be without our “fix”. So, how can you escape from this vicious circle which you have got yourself into?
Acknowledge and decide
The first step is obviously to realise that you have a problem. Then you need to make the determination to want to solve it.
Reflect on the causes
Next, I suggest that you reflect what has taken you to the extreme of becoming a workaholic. Is it the fear of losing your job seeing how unstable the work environment is? Could you have taken refuge in work in order not to face other personal problems and concerns?
Perhaps you simply started as a person committed and passionate about their work that has gradually tilted the balance towards work, thus increasingly neglecting private life.
Check your priorities
The next step is to consider what matters most to you in life. Your work may be among your priorities. But you probably realise that there are other things that matter a lot to you: your family, your friends, your well-being, your interests and hobbies, your personal development etc.
Are you a #workaholic? The first step is to acknowledge it. Find out how to leave this vicious circle. #workaddiction Click To Tweet
Review your planning
I suggest you take your agenda and your task lists. Review which are really priority and productive issues. Then consciously reserve yourself slots for meals and breaks. Choose a sport or physical activity that you like and schedule it as if it were a meeting. Do the same for activities with your family and friends. That means, reserve slots for non-work related activities in order to oblige yourself to recover your private life. In addition, forget about work and do not check your mobile phone in these moments, even if you feel tempted.
Regain your social life
The human being is a social animal. We need human contact and the support of our “tribe”. But relationships need to be taken care of and cultivated. Therefore consider who are the important people in your life and rebuild your relationship with them.
The best workers do not work more but better
Furthermore you need to change your mindset and vision about work. Realise that the best professionals and the most productive people are not the ones who work the most hours. They are the ones that know how to prioritise and dedicate their efforts to what is really important.
The most productive people know their priorities and how to create work-life balance. They know that time is limited and work will never end. However, they also know that we only have one body and need to take care of it in order to perform well. That is why they are assertive, know how to assess commitments and assignments before accepting them and know how to say no when necessary. They also know how to delegate tasks to others.
Do you have so much #work that you work marathon-like days but still think it's not enough? Don't work more but better. #Workaholic Click To Tweet
Seek professional help
If you are not able to get out of your addiction to work on your own, do not feel ashamed to seek professional help. A psychologist, therapist or coach can help you by providing you with tools and showing you the way out of your vicious circle.
Are you a workaholic?
Have you recognised yourself in the signs? Or have you recognised someone you know? What effects does it have on your or their life and health? Are you willing to leave the vicious circle and how are you going to do it?
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