1、You Might Be a Workaholic IfIts a frequently asked question: Do we live to work, or work to live? A growing number of Americans are finding that they live for work, and some of them are popping up at Workaholics Anonymous meeting nationwide. Unlike people who simply work very hard, which quite frank
2、ly is most of us, workaholics never punch out. They always feel like they are on the clock, 24/7, physically, mentally and emotionally working.They are more genuinely enthusiastic about work than anything else in their lives, even family and friends. Theres nothing that person would rather be doing
3、than working.And were not just talking about Fortune 500 executives, among others, attend Workaholics Anonymous meeting to try to kick the habit.What Are the Trouble Signs?If youre workaholic, you cant stop thinking about work. Work issues distract you from relationships and those thoughts speed thr
4、ough your mind as you lie in bed at night. A part of you is always longing to get back to work. Nothingnot eating, socializing, sleepingis as satisfying.Heres a good way to think of it: An ordinary hard worker will be on the job, thinking about shopping with friends. A workaholic will be out shoppin
5、g with friends, but will be thinking nonstop about work. Workaholics are very controlling. They cant delegate and are not usually interested in being team players. They are perfectionists and nothing is ever good enough for them. Workaholics would rather handle everything themselves, which doesnt al
6、ways produce the necessary results because often we need the input and help of others.A workaholic also has a troubled personal life. Typically workaholics dont have many friends or hobbies. Their personal relationships are in disarray. They have difficulty with intimacy because work is always on th
7、eir minds. And of course, there is a ripple effect in the families of workaholics.Research done by the University of North Carolina found that couples in a workaholic marriage tended to have twice the divorce rate as those who were in nonworkaholic marriages. We know that all marriages take work, bu
8、t thats not the type of work that a workaholic wants to focus on.Further, there is the effect on the children. Research has also found that children of workaholics have a higher rate of depression and anxiety mainly because the workaholic parent has placed severely high expectations on his or her ki
9、ds, which links back to the desire for perfection.And there are health concerns for workaholics, caused by the extreme levels of stress they suffer. They often eat poorly, dont exercise, and in short, they take poor care of their physical and emotional well-being.Solutions to Kick the HabitLike any
10、addiction, its challenging to kick and the person needs a support system to help. First, a workaholic must recognize and admit the problem.Take this quick personal survey: Ask yourself, on a scale of one to fivefive being truly satisfiedhow youd rate your satisfaction and happiness in each of this k
11、ey areas of your personal life: Your family? Your friendships? Your health? Your hobbies? Your spirituality? If your total is not 12 or more points, you have to take a hard look at yourself. Its probably time to consider your priorities and to replace some of your work time with life time.On its web
12、 site, Workaholic Anonymous suggests 20 questions to ask yourself to determine whether you may be a workaholic. Among them: Do you take work with you to bed, on weekends and/or on vacation? Is work the activity you like to do best and talk about most? Have your family or friends given up expecting y
13、ou on time? Do you get impatient wit people who have other priorities besides work? Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships? Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep or when others are talking?Answering yes to one or two might not be the sign of an addiction, b
14、ut a pattern of yes to three or more of these questions might mean its time to make changes. But of course, with all addiction, making those changes is easier said than doneMake time to relax. Since workaholics are to detail-oriented and focused, they should schedule time off to relax and play. Use
15、this time to find new ways to find happiness and approval and satisfaction outside of work. Look for other benchmarks to measure your overall well-being such as achieving fulfilling personal relationshipsbeing a terrific reliable partner, parent, and/or friendor even trying a new hobby that offers a
16、 compete diversion from work.Learn to delegate. Recognize that none of us can be successful or productive at work on our own. This is hard for these perfectionists, so they can start small, such as sharing small tasks with co-workers to start, whether its folding shirts in a retail store or managing the office staff. Slowly, the workaholic can see that her or she can begin to let go and still get the job done.
