Workaholic: Person excessively dedicated to work.

In every company, there are people who are highly committed to their work, to achieving goals, and to giving their best every day. That’s not a bad thing at all — being committed to our jobs is something very positive. However, there is a difference between this attitude and an addiction. In this article, we’ll talk about the workaholic, or the person who devotes themselves excessively to work.

This term is commonly used to describe people who focus heavily on their work, without realizing that it is a psychological condition with several consequences. In this post, we want to break down this term and help HR professionals identify workaholics within their companies, with the goal of helping them.

Are you interested in this topic? Keep reading!

What is meant by Workaholic?

Workaholic, or a person who devotes themselves excessively to work, refers to a type of addiction. Basically, it’s a psychological state in which a person is completely dedicated to their job, making it their absolute priority. Do you work all the time without anyone pressuring you to do so? Be careful.

The consequences of being a workaholic or a person overly devoted to work are many, since this psychological state ends up affecting both the physical and mental health of the person suffering from it, as well as their friendships and family relationships. Still, it’s not entirely accurate to call it a “work addiction.” Why? Let’s explain it in detail.

There is no specific reference to it in the diagnostic manuals used in clinical psychology and psychiatry. That means it’s not considered an addiction like alcoholism or gambling, for example. Those addictions are very serious and usually don’t disappear without professional intervention. On the other hand, workaholics can stop being so over time.

How can we identify a workaholic?

In general, a workaholic exhibits a series of traits that make them recognizable. This information can be very useful in your job, but for HR departments, it becomes vital. A person who is overly dedicated to work needs a roadmap to achieve a healthy relationship with their job.

Here are the traits through which we can identify a workaholic:

• They constantly think about work, focusing on their performance.
• They never take an afternoon off, always finding ways to work outside regular hours.
• As a result of the above, they often work more hours than their contract stipulates.
• They are among the best workers in the company — obviously, one of the consequences of the long hours they put in.

Symptoms of a workaholic

What if you suspect that you yourself might suffer from this work addiction? There are also ways to detect it, although you’ll first need to perform an honest and thorough analysis of your behaviors, habits, and emotions. If you identify with any of the following points, it’s time to seek help:

• You like to arrive early at the office and leave last.
• You don’t take any kind of break during your workday, sometimes even eating at your desk.
• When spending time with people outside of work, you only talk about your job, your bosses, colleagues, or salary. This is another symptom showing that you’re becoming a workaholic.
• When you’re on vacation, you get irritated and anxious. You can’t stand being away from the daily work hustle.
• You prioritize work over personal plans.
• You have physical problems such as exhaustion, constant headaches, or digestive issues.
• You don’t know how to delegate.
• You’re unable to recognize that you have a serious problem.

Consequences of being a workaholic

Throughout this article, we’ve mentioned that being a workaholic has a series of consequences for your health, both physical and mental. But what consequences are we talking about? Basically, we can summarize them in three:

• Insomnia: When we maintain a high level of activity, we don’t allow our brains to relax, which results in insomnia.
• Stress and anxiety: A person overly devoted to work may experience stress-related problems, anxiety, and even depression, as they’re never satisfied with their own performance.
• Obesity and other similar problems: The more time we spend at work, the less we move and the more anxiety we experience. This can lead to uncontrolled eating and a lack of physical exercise.

Educa.Pro, aware of this problem

Educa.Pro is a platform that helps different companies efficiently manage their employees’ career development. And how does it help companies or workaholic employees? Our subscription includes training programs designed to address this psychological condition. That’s why it’s so valuable for HR departments.

Are you looking for a platform to train your employees? That’s Educa.Pro!

Don’t hesitate — we’re waiting for you!