6 Signs You’re a Workaholic

May 8

Written By Kara Troester

I used to think a workaholic was someone completely dedicated to their job.

They loved their job so much, they couldn’t bring themselves to do anything other than work.

They were passionate. Dependable. And clearly on the fast track to success.

I longed to be a workaholic.

Then, one day, I heard a different definition.

In this version, a workaholic was described as someone with the impulse to constantly work driven solely by overwhelming anxiety. They worked long, stressful hours that negatively impacted other areas of life. But, to a workaholic, that life was still more bearable than the anxiety that would come from taking a break.

I was shocked…

That didn’t sound like the workaholic I was hoping to become. That sounded…negative. Exhausting. Overwhelming.

In fact, by this definition, I was pretty sure I already was a workaholic…

Crap.

Six signs you might be a workaholic

In today’s hustle culture, the idea of a workaholic gets praised.

It’s a badge of honor to give your all to your work with nothing left to give to anything else.

This has been so ingrained in us that you, too, may have even found yourself with a toxic goal of becoming a workaholic. It’s a goal that’s really an addiction to working fueled by an ongoing supply of anxiety and disguised as a clear path to success.

There are six main symptoms that you may have fallen into the trap of becoming an anxiety-ridden workaholic instead of an idealistic dedicated employee.

Workaholic Symptom #1: You’re working longer hours than required

Do you promise yourself that this will be the week you sign off by 5 PM, no matter what?

Yet, you don’t set real boundaries on how long you’ll work each day. Because in the back of your mind you know you’ll probably let the day expand to 6, 7, or 8 PM. And maybe even into the weekend.

Without time boundaries in place, you’re always finding “required” work that needs your attention before you give yourself permission to sign off for the day.

Workaholic Symptom #2: You’re neglecting personal relationships

Do you avoid scheduling activities for weekday evenings just in case you “have” to work late?

You think that your spouse, friends, and family are a top priority, but your calendar doesn’t ever reflect that. You see very little of your most important people and may even be seeing fewer invites, too, as they start to catch on that your RSVP is always a ‘no.

Workaholic Symptom #3: You’re constantly thinking about work

When you’re not working, are you unable to focus on the current moment because you’re thinking about work?

It could be that looming proposal deadline or stack of unread emails or that early Tuesday morning meeting you don’t quite feel prepped for. This constant distraction leaves you unable to enjoy any activity. You’re physically disconnected from work but never emotionally disconnected.

Workaholic Symptom #4: You feel guilty when you’re not working

You finally do it. You leave work right at 5 PM or dive into the weekend committed to letting Monday you take care of it all. Great, right?!

Or…are you riddled with guilt over how you should be spending your time?

Your thoughts are on other colleagues you know haven’t signed off yet. You think you should be handcuffed to your desk alongside them. Or you’re compulsively checking IMs and emails. You think you should be available to jump in at a moment's notice just in case an emergency breaks out. The guilt of disconnecting is too much to bear.

Workaholic Symptom #5: You’re crabby…like, all the time

When you finally sign off for the day or week, do you find yourself snapping at your loved ones?

You’re crabby not just after a particularly stressful day, but, like, all the days… You feel consistently drained so even the smallest things set you off or irritate you. A dish doesn’t make it into the dishwasher. Or your spouse is sitting on the couch when, don’t they know, there’s a mountain of chores to be done...

Your inability to decompress and lack of time to relax leaves you constantly on edge, ready to blow at any moment.

Workaholic Symptom #6: You can’t shake the feeling of overwhelm

Do you feel paralyzed and overwhelmed regardless of what’s on your schedule for the week?

It’s not just the “busy” weeks with jam-packed meetings and deadlines, but any week is overwhelming. The workload feels like too much. You may be longing so much for a moment of reprieve that the only logical solution seems to be a 6-month bout of unemployment to finally have time to figure it all out.

Are you a workaholic?

Symptom checker complete.

If one or more of the above symptoms hit a little too close to home, you may be a workaholic.

It can be a tough reality to come to terms with.

But, good news! There is a cure.

It’s not a fancy pill. A new wave injection. Or a lobotomy.

It’s…your thoughts.

Your thoughts are causing your workaholism

Before we dive into a workaholic treatment plan, let’s talk about why this will work.

Here’s a little fact about how our minds work: your thoughts create your feelings. Your feelings drive your behaviors.

Let’s take this for a test drive.

If you think: “I should be working 12-hour days to prove I’m dedicated.” How does that thought make you feel?

Ecstatic? Excited? Yeah, probably not. How about: Dread… Anxious… Overwhelmed…

When you feel dread, anxiety, or overwhelm, how do you behave?

You watch the clock fly past 5 PM but continue to keep typing.
You constantly check your email even after you’ve logged off for the day.
You jump back online to answer that oh-so-important email.

You behave like a workaholic.

Six new thoughts to cure your workaholism

For a workaholic, no amount of work is too much. They try to run away from their anxiety by throwing more hours at the problem. They waste time and lack efficiency because more hours means they’re doing it “right”.

But working more isn’t sustainable over time. And as you throw more hours into work, you have fewer and fewer hours to give to actually living your life.

To change your workaholic behavior, you have to get to the root cause. You must change the way you’re thinking.