Are You A Workaholic?

There is no unified definition of a workaholic, but there is a profile and we will discuss some of the features and characteristics common to being a workaholic. Many of these types of people regularly find themselves working 50 or more hours a week and feel compelled to stay busy and productive. This pattern of being in the world is often passed down within in families. Some people become workaholics to cope with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. Excessive productivity or earnings are an attempt to compensate for not feeling good enough. Often there are perfectionistic standards and expectations that the person holds or grew up with.

Unfortunately for the person, being a workaholic is one “addiction” that our society reinforces and encourages. Employers benefit greatly and often others are encouraging and supportive of such effort so there is an inherent benefit to engaging in this type of behavior. The danger of this pattern is that there is a finite amount of time and energy to go around in any person’s life. When we become unbalanced but vesting too much time and energy into any area of our life, this inevitably means that other areas will suffer and be neglected. Often family and friends complain about not having enough time with the person. They may end up neglecting their physical health, lack a healthy outlet of hobbies and activities, and struggle to relax. Happiness and fulfillment are often missing for these folks.

Below are some signs you may have attributes of a workaholic:

1. You are first to arrive at work and the last to leave
2. You work through lunch hours
3. You find yourself thinking about work when you are not there
4. You have no real hobbies or activities that you enjoy
5. You are prone to perfectionistic standards
6. You put work priorities before family and social priorities
7. You’re at work even when you are sick
8. You don’t take vacations, or work more on vacation than relax
9. You tend to micromanage projects and others
10. You can’t say no to people or your boss
11. You are routinely overbooking yourself
12. You get defensive if someone implies you might be a workaholic
13. You have troubled sleep or other health-related issues from stress

If you want to talk with one of our psychiatrists or psychologists to better assess whether you may be a workaholic, please call us now at 763-416-4167, or request an appointment on our website: WWW.IPC-MN.COM so we can sit down with you and complete thorough assessment and help you develop a plan of action that will work for you. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find the peace of mind you deserve.

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Innovative Psychological Consultants

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