Early Signs Of Workaholism

Workaholic

It's Saturday night and you're at home… working. This would normally be the time to sip a few cold ones and share some good times with friends, but not anymore. Ever since that big promotion, you've decided that work has to come first. Working at home isn't that bad every now and again, right? Wrong. Once it becomes a regular routine, you might be unknowingly starting a new career as a workaholic.  

"Workaholic" sounds like a buzzword for office overachievers, but in today's competitive workplace, workaholism is an all-too-common problem that is characterized by an addiction to work. Just like any dependency, it's a serious cause for concern for the workaholic, their immediate family and their friends. The boss might think that a workaholic's long hours and superhuman work ethic are great for business, but that's often not the case.  

The greater the workload, the more damage you can do to your social life, your health and your emotional well-being. If you think that being a workaholic is honorable, think again. In the long run, it will hurt your career more than help it.

Are you a workaholic? We decided to take a closer look at the warning signs and what you can do to stop them in their tracks.

Working Outside The Office

Symptoms

When the workday ends for everyone else, yours continues. It might be an evening, a weekend or even a vacation. It doesn't matter, because if you're not doing at least some work, you'll feelbored and unproductive or, worse yet, worried out of your mind that you're not doing more work. Believe it or not, working past quitting time will hurt your productivity and your overall performance. It's also a health risk, as it can trigger numerous ailments (you don't need more headaches), make you tired and evoke a general feeling of isolation.  

Solution

If you're constantly working at home, you need to reclaim your peace and quiet and give your office space the boot. It's easier said than done, but you can start by keeping track of how many work hours are being put in at home. From there, formulate a plan to gradually lower them. Don't rush. Take small steps, such as not working on specific days, but be prepared for some bumps and bruises along the way. Just like kicking the toughest of bad habits, choosing to cut down on work will induce some withdrawal symptoms in the early stages. Depression and anxiety are some of the most common afflictions, but even with short-term setbacks, you and your body will be better off in the long run.
 
While you're dealing with these changes, take a trip to your doctor for a full physical. Ensure that you've got a clean bill of health and then make physical activity, sleep and a healthy diet the staples of your daily routine. When you're planning your next vacation, make sure that it doesn't involve work. Vacations shouldn't be complicated by business. Your relaxation time comes first.

Never Fully Disconnecting From Work

Symptoms

You might not be at your office around the clock, but most of your time is still based around work. Your important clients and coworkers all have your cell number when they need you. Your laptop is never out of sight, in case you need to log in at a moment's notice. It might feel like you're only making yourself available, but work is now taking priority over everything else. When that happens, you won't make the time for extracurricular activities that are important for you to enjoy.    

Solution

If you're maintaining a 24/7 connection with work, it's time to change your subscription and add a few new lifestyle channels. That means making the time for new and satisfying activities that will energize your mind and body -- not just your Blackberry typing skills. Even better are hobbies that will add diversity to your overall lifestyle. If your work keeps you inside and mostly stationary, your new hobbies should take you outside -- taking on jogging or golf as regular activities would certainly do the trick. The key is to pick something that you like, so that you can balance your lifestyle with the right mix of work, relaxation and fun.

To maintain this balance, you might also seek out a counselor or psychologist. Often, fresh ideas and an ear to listen can provide a steady, healthy outlet for healing. Furthermore, if you're feeling less "tuned in" to the office on your off-hours, it's a good thing. Don't feel guilty. Your new disconnection from the office will only serve to strengthen your abilities when you're back on the job.

Know when to pass on the work and switch off...

Refusal to delegate tasks

Symptoms

In your drive to succeed, you start to believe that you are the best person for any task that's sent your way. Because you want as much glory as possible, you will take on an abundance of work, and shun the participation of anyone else. Not only can this make you difficult to work with, but the long-term effects of not delegating will leave you with bad organizational skills and little time away from work. Instead of working with confidence in a positive environment, you could be stuck with an increased fear of failure and numerous sub-par working relationships. Don't expect another promotion.   

Solution

Your refusal to delegate can change if you take a big-picture approach to your choices and communicate properly at work. Don't try to do everything that's pushed your way. Plan your work around your life goals, and not the other way around. Think about where you want to be and how you really want to spend your time. Burning out won't do you any favors, so work within your means. If you're a consistent contributor without trying to steal the spotlight, your professional reputation and long-term value certainly won't suffer. If your goals are attainable, you won't feel the need to overcompensate.

One of these goals should be maintaining solid relationships with your coworkers. If there are a few relationships that need to be mended, it's up to you to make it happen. Strive for social interaction and regular communication with these people. Be willing to work together and be open to new ideas. In addition, if you can take short breaks to relax and collect your thoughts, you'll communicate more effectively and you'll be a lot more approachable. In time, a refusal to delegate will give way to a desire to work practically and an appreciation for working collectively.

constantly talking about work

Symptoms

It might be your friends, it might be your wife; if someone's willing to listen, you're more than happy to talk about work as much as possible. Maybe it's another project or a boss you dislike -- either way, you have to talk about it. While a little bit of work chatter is certainly allowed, you aren't actually paying attention to the people closest to you. Your relationship isn't with them, it's with your work, and the people in your life are turning into accessories. By harming your personal life, you are only encouraging yourself to keep working, especially when you push away the ones who care about you the most.

Solution

The topic of work might matter to you, but it's not necessarily popular with everyone else. Your friends and loved ones want you to be happy, but you need to give them their due attention as well. That starts with recognizing the affect that work is having on your conversations and intimate relationships as a whole. As with other addictions, an honest awareness of your problem goes a long way. Be honest and ask your family and friends for their feelings on how your work issues are affecting them. It won't be an easy conversation, but it will be a step in the right direction.

Giving your loved ones the proper attention isn't just about talking. It's also about spending time together. If you're in a relationship, set aside at the very least 30 minutes every day to talk, listen and enjoy each other. In case you're wondering, work isn't on that list of topics. If you're more inclined to spend time with your friends, do just that and engage in regular social outings. Make a point of surrounding yourself with positive people. It will give you happier thoughts and better things to talk about besides work.

balancing act

A perfect life balance for some might mean steady work, steady relationships and steady health. Certain people are more adept at balancing than others and when it comes to work, it's easy to let your mind and body get lost in the shuffle. The allure of a new job and a challenging workload might sound attractive on paper, but as you climb up the corporate ladder, don't forget to take care of yourself along the way. Otherwise, you could lose everything else in the process.