Do you enjoy going to work every day? There’s nothing wrong with liking your job, but what if you’re so addicted to work that it’s almost like you’re married to your career?
According to The Balance Careers, the average person in this country works 34. 4 hours each week.
However, being a workaholic has less to do with the number of hours you work and more to do with your attitude and behaviors towards your job. When you’re addicted to work, it becomes the core focus of your existence. You don’t know what downtime is, and you often put family and friends aside to make the almighty dollar.
Fifteen Signs Someone Is Addicted to Work
Have you ever been called a workaholic? Does your spouse or family member seem more interested in their job than their family? There are many motives why people live to work, but it’s not the selfish reasons that it appears.
Did you know that many people use work as an escape? This individual could have high anxiety levels or be anti-social. They use work to feel essential and ease their consequences where they fail in other areas. If you or someone you know has these fifteen signs below, you may be working too much.
1. Self-Worth Is Defined by Success
When a person has feelings of inadequacy, they often use work to make them feel important. While they may not measure up in the looks department or have been unlucky in love, they’ve learned that their strong work ethic gives them value. If you define your successes in life by how much money you make or hours you work, then it’s a sign of trouble.
2. No Hobbies
There’s no time for fishing, cycling, boating, or even family dinners. When you’re married to your job, you have little time for foolish pleasures. So even if your family drags you along to an outing, you will sneak and try to get some work in when they’re not looking.
3. Live To Work
From the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night, you live to work. Your whole existence is wrapped up in a job. You truly don’t see anything wrong with your thought processes as you’re trying to provide for your family.
4. First One in And Last One Out Each Day
Some might call you a “brown noser” because you’re the first one to clock in each day and the last one to leave. You certainly don’t dread going to work. You’re so happy to get there that you show up before your schedule.
5. Always Ill and Tired
One significant issue with those addicted to work is that they’re often tired and ill a lot. This issue stems from the fact that you don’t have time to go to the doctor and get regular checkups. Additionally, you don’t have time for good nutrition either, as any fast-food joint you pass on the way home is dinner.
Unhealthy living will eventually catch up with you, as self-care is particularly important to living a good life.
6. Constantly Checking Text Messages and Emails
If you counted how many times you check your text messages and emails in a day, the numbers would shock you. You’re connected to your phone, and you won’t put it down for even a short period without fretting. You want to make sure you don’t miss anything that means money.
7. Feelings Of Inadequacy or Never Good Enough
One sign of a workaholic is they feel not good enough. This person often had an impoverished childhood or had abuse or neglect they are overcompensating for in life. According to Forbes, workaholic is expected and rewarded in today’s job market, so this only fuels the fire to be and do more to get ahead.
8. Would Never Say “No” Top Management
Back in the 1950s, people worked hard Monday through Friday, but they rested when it came time for the weekend. Employers had boundaries, and so did the employees. Today, the mix between personal and work life is smeared.
For example, an employer wants someone with round-the-clock availability when looking for potential new hires, which isn’t fair. No wonder 23 percent of American workers are burnt out, according to a recent Gallup Poll.
9. Has No Social Life
There’s no time for socializing. The only friends you have are the ones you make at work. Your work family is so close that you might even have a work wife or husband that you joke about.
10. Talks About Work Constantly
Since work is your life, there is truly little else that you talk about. Your mind is on your career, and there’s nothing else more important to you. If you must take a day off for personal matters, you’re chomping at the bit wondering what’s going on at the office.
11. Little Time for Foolishness at The Office
Even at the office, there’s a separation between career-driven individuals and those there to make a paycheck. You have little time for people who want to stand around the water cooler and gossip. It infuriates you that someone is wasting company time and affecting the bottom line.
12. Won’t Delegate Due to Control Issues
Those addicted to work often don’t know how to delegate tasks appropriately. They may start to show a worker how to do something, but they end up finishing it. The real issue is that this person is very controlling, and they don’t know how to give up that control to anyone.
They always think they can do a better job, so they take on more rather than letting someone help them. Then, in the rare instance that someone is called to help, they will micromanage and nitpick the entire time.
13. Skips Lunch and Breaks
The workaholic often doesn’t do lunch or break time. Instead, if they’re hungry, they will eat at their desk or while working. Taking even 15 minutes seems impossible, as their day is crammed from start to finish.
Other people often encourage you to take a break, or you will burn out. Sadly, you think they’re the ones with the problem as they tend to be a slacker. You see no problem with the way you’re doing things.
14. No Vacations or Personal Days
You can’t remember the last time you took a vacation or personal day. Even if you lost a relative remarkably close to you, you would use work as your excuse to keep your mind busy and cope. Your family often goes on trips but leaves you behind.
While it hurts them, it doesn’t bother you at all. You don’t have time for the beach or the mountains, as you’re needed at work. Time is money, and there’s none to lose.
15. Lives In Denial About Work Addiction
Though many people have confronted you about being addicted to work, you live in denial. It will take a serious medical issue or some other setback to open your eyes. You must address the underlying issue that’s fueling this constant need to be busy.
Perhaps you don’t want to start peeling back the layers to find out why you’re married to your job. Unfortunately, the truth is often too much to handle, and when you’re working, you don’t have time to think.
Final Thoughts on Being Addicted to Work
It’s interesting how the workdays and schedules have shifted in the past couple of decades. Did you know that most employers require around 47 hours each week from their employees, according to a Gallup Poll? Gone are the 9-5 pm shifts as they’ve now extended to 9-6 pm to accommodate lunch.
America is one of the most overworked countries around, and they don’t offer their employees much time for rest either. In the Netherlands, the average workweek is 27.5 hours, according to Jargan Josh. The government here encourages workers to balance work and family, and they promote part-time employment.
Could the reason why so many people are addicted to work stem from the attitude in society to push yourself to the breaking point for the almighty dollar? The same article shows that the folks in Denmark only work about 28 hours a week, and the government encourages people to have flexible schedules and a stress-free work environment.
While some of the reasons behind the work-driven culture are certainly handed down, the workaholic has their own agenda for the long hours. For them, it’s a way to escape the troubles of life and focus on anything other than their problems. In addition, they find that working gives them the ability to disappear and make money.
They justify their behavior because they’re providing for their family. However, it’s imperative to find a good work-life balance, or you will burn out quickly. You can’t work 60+ hours a week for long, as it will make you physically and mentally sick.
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