Does work absorb most of your waking hours on a daily basis? Well, if so, you are not alone. Many people are faced with this dilemma. Apart from over-ambition, people can become workaholics as a means to seek an escape from the failures in their personal lives. In order to feel good about themselves, they try to achieve more and more at their workplace which, in turn, gets them praise and recognition. However, this soon results in more problems at the personal front, as they start giving less time and attention at home.
The term “workaholic” is not technically recognized as a psychological disorder. However, it is commonly understood as a psychological issue. Whatever the reason for workaholism, its result is the same. With more and more time and effort being spent at the office, or consumed with work at home, the person starts losing touch with those who matter most in his or her personal life – husband, wife, children, parents, friends, relatives, etc. He or she becomes alienated from them and starts failing at the personal front.
Research points out that, like other forms of addiction, workaholism can significantly affect a person’s health both physically and psychologically as well. Some of the effects include: hypertension, irritability, short temper, palpitation, feeling stressed all the time, fatigue, low energy, etc. If not treated on time, the effects can lead to fatal ailments as well. Workaholics may also have stomach related ailments such as acidity, as they tend to eat fast to get back to work and often eat at wrong timings.
What about you? Do you suffer from working too much? Does work interfere with your personal relationships and your health? Are you a workaholic? If you are not sure, here are some signs to look for:
• Your home is just another office.
• You are hard driving, competitive, and overly committed to your work.
• You take office equipment with you wherever you go, even on vacations.
• Work makes you happier than anything else in your life.
• Sleep and playtime seem like a waste.
• You believe that if you get the chance to do it again, you’ll do it right.
• You get restless on vacation (if you even take them) and sometimes cut them short.
• You frequently are “problem solving” work situations in your mind, even during your “time off.”
• Friends either don’t call anymore, or you can’t wait to get off the phone when they do call.
• People who love you tell you “you have a lot of energy,” or ask if you are a “workhorse.”
• You are tired, irritable, socially isolated, and might even have physical stress symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, shortness of breath, racing heart, muscle tension, or ulcers.
• As soon as one task is over you swiftly pick up another.
If you can see yourself in most of these characteristics, you probably are a workaholic. The first step towards treating workaholism is recognizing that you are a workaholic. In short, you cannot solve a problem until you accept that it actually exists. The next step is to realize that a successful person is one who can strike a proper balance between his or her professional and personal life. Making either of them suffer, at the cost of other, is definitely not a sign of achievement.
Here are some other things you can do to solve the problem:
1. Schedule time for your primary relationship.
Take time to connect with your loved ones each day. This time is spent simply checking with, and catching up with, one another. You might ask about one’s day, make future plans, dream together and enjoy each other’s company. When you’re on the road, make sure you call home regularly, and leave a phone number where you can most easily be reached. When you get home, take extra time for re-connecting. Take occasional time off together with unplanned time to allow for spontaneity and creativity.
2. Make time for your friendships.
Make sure you pick people who are fun. The best way to avoid giving in to workaholicism is to “red line” time for nurturing relationships in your appointment calendar.
3. Take care of your body.
Get a physical examination to rule out other problems. Take care of the three basics: eating, sleeping and exercising. Pay a little extra attention to all three categories. Take 4-5 minute “breaks” at your desk. Allow yourself to close your eyes, breathe rhythmically, and focus your mind’s eye on a relaxing place. If you get distracted, gently bring yourself back to the relaxing scene.
4. Re-examine your long-term goals.
Are you doing what you want to be doing with your life? From the vantage point of your deathbed, what do you want to be able to say about how you spent these years?
5. Re-examine your short-term goals.
Remind yourself of the things you have already accomplished rather than just those you still need to accomplish. Do this daily. A moment of reflection when sitting down at your desk can help keep things in perspective.
When you have tried all these suggestions, and you are unable to do it on your own, seek professional help before it is too late.
Remember, the greatest wealth is health.
