24 Sep How Do I Know I'm A Workaholic?

How do you figure out if you’re a workaholic?

I think workaholism can be defined as someone who obsesses and has compulsions related to work, which cause significant impairment to social functioning (family life, work environment, financial problems, and etc).

What you want to look for are signs of powerlessness and unmanageability.  Powerlessness is the inability to stop a behavior, because it has power over you.  You feel as if you can’t stop the behavior even when you see it causing pain in your life and relationships.  Unmanageability is the outcome of powerlessness.  As a result of having a behavior you can’t stop, there are consequences to these actions.  You might lose relationships or create distance.  You might make numerous mistakes as a result of being overly tired.  You might find yourself using substances to manage stress.  Signs begin popping up in your life that show you life is out of balance.

Your life begins to turn around when you admit there’s a problem.  You may struggle with insight, because there are many reasons to continue to engage in the behavior.  “I need income for my family,”  “I am the only breadwinner in the family.”  There can be many reasons to continue, but there may be more reasons to stop (your health, relationships, life balance and etc.).  However, environmental consequences may have to wake you up, to what your soul yearns.  I think these are the hardest lessons to learn.

Signs of Workaholism:

– You’re usually the first and last to leave the office.
– You are available for every call and are constantly checking email, texts and messages.
– You’re usually late for appointments and evening engagements.
– Constantly consumed with thoughts of work.
– Difficulty focusing in the moment.
– Friends and family constantly complain about your lack of attention and availability.
– You work while you’re on vacation.
– You’re out of shape and lack self-care.
– Your sex life has suffered.
– You’re an unavailable partner and rarely go on dates with your significant other.
– Don’t allow others to help and think only you can get the job done right.
– Constantly making lists you can’t complete.
– Going over and above what’s necessary.
– Anxious about making mistakes or struggling with perfectionism.
– Fearful of making mistakes and judgmental of self and others.