# Are you a workaholic?

- **Episode:** [128](https://agents.truthliesandwork.com/episodes/128.md) (2024-09-17)
- **Type:** news-roundup
- **Tags:** workaholic, work-life-balance, burnout
- **Time:** 1:41–6:30 (start 101s)
- **Listen:** [https://truthliesandwork.com/128?t=101](https://truthliesandwork.com/128?t=101)

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[1:41] Leanne Elliott: Question
[1:42] Al Elliott: Yes
[1:43] Leanne Elliott: Are you a workaholic?
[1:44] Al Elliott: No, actually, I used to be when I was— when I was— yeah, when we first started my first company, I'll be Yeah, I'll be 18 hours a day, 19 hours a day. But no, absolutely, I'm far too fat and old to do that these days
[1:55] Leanne Elliott: Well, yeah, I mean, it can be something that resonates with you. It can be something that you dismiss. But recent studies are suggesting that workaholism is more common than we think. So a report in the Annual Review of Organisational Psychology and Organisational Behaviour— catchy title— found that 50% of workers qualify as workaholics
[2:17] Al Elliott: 50, did you say?
[2:18] Leanne Elliott: 15. Oh, 15, okay. But this isn't just about working long hours, Al, or loving what you do. It's about an actual addiction to work that's driven by constant thoughts, emotions, and behaviours related to work. So the study, led by Toon Taras from Utrecht University, paints a clear picture. Workaholism is an addiction with serious consequences for health and job performance. So how do you know if you're a workaholic? Well, experts say true workaholism includes 4 key things: feeling an inner compulsion to work, having persistent thoughts about work even when you're not working, experiencing negative feelings like anxiety or guilt when you're not working, and going beyond what's expected or necessary in your job. Does it sound familiar? I think the same. In the past, I, I might have bordered on that. Um, another psychologist, Melissa Clark at the University of Georgia, has looked into this too. find that workaholics often feel the need to keep going, even when it harms their health or relationships. And interestingly, perfectionists and extroverts are more prone to this behavior. That must be why I'm not afflicted as well by workaholism. Um, research also shows that for all their efforts, workaholics aren't necessarily better at their jobs. In fact, they often suffer from exhaustion and burnout, leading to more mistakes and lower productivity. But here's the kicker— technology is making it worse. With remote work and constant connectivity through Zoom and Slack, the boundaries between home and work life are disappearing, creating the perfect environment for workaholism to thrive. So yeah, as I said, how do you know? Here's a checklist for you if you want me to go through them again. Number 1, you constantly think about work even during downtime. Number 2, you feel guilty or anxious when you're not working. 3, you consistently work beyond what's expected or necessary. And 4, you struggle to switch off and relax. outside of work. There are some steps you can take to protect yourself. If this is sounding familiar, you can start by setting clear work hours and sticking to them. Take regular breaks to recharge, and don't hesitate to seek support, whether it's from a manager, mentor, mentor, or therapist. And actually, even practicing mindfulness can help you stay present and reduce stress, allowing you to regain control over your work habits. Al, thoughts?
[4:34] Al Elliott: I have a question for you. What, when does being very keen on work and what you do turn into workaholic, workaholism, workaholism? That's a difficult word to say because I tend to, like, if I'm sitting here on a weekend or something, I'll read a book about marketing or I read a book about business or I read a book about growing something. I enjoy doing that. I couldn't think, I get joy from doing that, yet I wouldn't go and do work on a weekend because I'm a lazy bugger. But so where's the line?
[5:04] Leanne Elliott: Well, that for you sounds like a recovery activity. So you said, I I wouldn't go and work, but I'd happily read it, read a book about marketing. Well, you don't see that as work. Like you say, you're, you're gaining energy from the activity. The activity isn't taking energy away from you. So perhaps, perhaps that's one of the lines
[5:19] Al Elliott: So then if someone believes they're gaining energy by doing all the things on your 4 checklists, then they're not a workaholic, they are just enjoying work? Or is it still— it sounds like a blurred line
[5:33] Leanne Elliott: Yeah, and I think it'll be different for every individual. I think the key sign will be if there's other areas of your life slipping because of work. If your relationships are getting a bit tense because somebody's saying you're always at work, if you're not making those social gatherings because you'd rather work, if you're not spending time with your kids, you'd rather work. I think if it's starting to—
[5:51] Al Elliott: Depends what your kids are like
[5:53] Leanne Elliott: True. I think, yeah, if it's starting to take away from other areas of your life and your more holistic fulfilment as a human, then it could be tipping into workaholism. And as we know, relationships are one of the main things that keep our juices going in terms of wellbeing. So, yeah. Yeah, it is a fine line, but I think it's, it's not— it's 15% that will fall into the, into the part where it's detrimental. And I imagine they're also the 15%, um, that, that might be experiencing symptoms of burnout alongside that. So there you go, workaholism. I will leave a link to the study and the article in the show notes. Al, what have you got?