Being passionate about your job and being committed to your job are not bad things. But when your job becomes your life, it’s actually a bad thing. Being a workaholic can lead to health issues, misery, and depression.
That’s why it is important to know for sure if you are a workaholic. Here are some warning signs you might be a workaholic.
1. You spend more and more time working
One of the obvious signs you might be a workaholic is that you spend more and more time working. It’s ok if you stay late at work in order to deliver a deadline, but don’t do it too often, because it may become a habit. Remember, you are not paid for the overtime. If you spend more time working and less time relaxing, you are certainly a workaholic!
2. You miss your job
If are not at work, do you think all the time about your job? If yes, you have a huge problem! Sure, you like your job, but it’s unhealthy to think only about your job. If you are a workaholic, you cannot switch off and cannot wait till you can back to your work and tackle your to-do list.
3. You never say no
Workaholics never say no. They take on extra responsibilities without additional pay and they put their hands up for every project. They have made themselves accessible anyplace, anytime, and everybody in the office has their number and knows they can contact them whenever. If it sounds familiar to you, you might be a workaholic.
4. Your job comes first
Although a career is important, don’t forget about your personal life. If you ignore and devalue your personal priorities, your work-life balance goes completely out of whack. You work through your lunch breaks; you look down on colleagues who use each day of their vacation entitlement; you work when you are ill; your family doesn’t see you and you cannot even remember the last time you spoke to or met up your friends. These are common signs of workaholism.
5. What about your vacation?
Nowadays many people take their laptops on vacation, just in case. However, workaholics take their laptops to work. You may say that you are sitting in the sun, drinking a cocktail and you are not at work, but if your laptop is open and you are working, then you are at work, just in a different location.
6. You don’t call yourself a workaholic
Like with any addiction, admitting it is usually the crux of the problem. If you don’t feel guilty when you can’t go to a family party or a friend’s baby shower because of your work, it’s a sure sign you might become a workaholic.
7. You don’t feel well
One of the warning signs you are a workaholic is that you never feel good because you’re constantly working without regular breaks and rejuvenating time. You forget about healthy eating and exercise. If you are a workaholic, you have a high risk of complete burnout and at the worst, you’re at risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attack.
If you recognize any of these warning signs of workaholism in yourself, it’s time to change your habits! By the way, is it something that you really want from your life?1