Hmm Are you a workaholic? Are your self-worth and self-esteem found in the basket of your work?

Are You A Workaholic?
Are you a workaholic? Are your self-worth and self-esteem found in the basket of your work?
The love of work

When I was still working in a food processing company, I had two officemates who always stayed in the office past 5 p.m. leaving time, sometimes staying up to 9 p.m. even without overtime pay. These two officemates also go to work during Saturdays, even though Saturday is a non-working day in the company.

Then, while I was teaching management in a university, I met a department chair who would work in his office until the wee hours of the morning, while the gates of the university are closed.

His wife had been complaining about his “weird” attitude toward his work.

Consequences of Workaholic

Being a workaholic is a compulsive behavior to work and work, at the expense of health, family, loved ones, and friends.

Workaholics have the inclination to neglect even their health. In addition, there are emotional problems involved. When a workaholic arrives home, he would be tired to give attention to his family, like his wife and children, as his mind is occupied with the unfinished work in the office.

Signs of a Workaholic

What are the signs of work addiction? How do you know if you are addicted to your work? Look around your office and see if the following symptoms are present:

1. Work long hours, even after off office hours.

2. A perfectionist.

3. Always talking about work matters even during break time, lunchtime or snacks time in the office.

4. Poor in interpersonal communications.

5. Always in a hurry.

6. Routine is home, office, home, office.

7. Wants to be always in control; don’t delegate the work.

8. Calls you even on Sundays, during nighttime, even in the middle of the night, to talk about work.

9. Wants the work done urgently and rush.

10. Quick tempered and has a low tolerance for mistakes.

11. Rarely socialize or mingle with colleagues and subordinates.

12. Don’t take vacation leave.

13. Reports for work even when not feeling well.

Is being a workaholic bad?

This is the question that has often been asked. Is it bad? Personally, my answer is in the positive. It is bad for the workaholic because his work won’t take care of him when he gets sick, or in the hospital. His family will, but he is neglecting his family and loved ones in favor of his work.

From the point of view of the company, a workaholic is not also good, because it is a sign of an addiction, of excess, and excess is always not good in the long term. Besides, the workaholic by his attitudes, alienates his colleagues, subordinates, and other people.

The key is balance

Working hard is not working smart. Life is not made up of work alone. There are many things to do in this life other than work.

It will do well for workaholics to remember the advice of Brian Dyson:

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends, and spirit – and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”