Just a few decades ago, a workaholic person was perceived as a standard; business leaders set such people as an example to everyone else, which made workaholics want to work even harder and more enthusiastically. What kind of unconscious mechanism affects a person and manifests itself in an unbridled desire to work and ... work?
Workaholic - who is it?
If you look closely, in any environment there is a person who constantly has no time, he is busy and repeats: “Work comes first!”, “We must work tirelessly!” A workaholic is a person for whom life without work is unthinkable. The desire to work is one of the important needs of a person, but for a workaholic this need sometimes becomes the only goal and meaning of existence in general. Everything else: family, friends, leisure, satisfaction of personal needs and desires is relegated to the background or for an indefinite period.
Workaholism in psychology
Workaholism as a form of addictive behavior is placed on a par with such an illness as alcoholism. The word “workaholic” sounds like name-calling or an insult to a person, but research from the last decades of the 20th century. and the publication of a book by American psychologist W.E. Watts “Confessions of a Workaholic” - allowed us to look at workaholism as a painful psychological addiction, the same as the attraction to alcohol and drugs. They are based on the same mechanisms:
- avoiding problems into an “alternative” reality;
- obtaining euphoria and a state of happiness only in this way.
Causes of workaholism
Why do people become workaholics is a relevant question for people who suddenly realized that there is nothing in their life except work. Reasons for developing dependence on labor:
- The habit formed since childhood of avoiding problems and scandals into some kind of activity;
- An example of a parental family in which they worked a lot and hard, earned little, but had a bunch of regalia: badges, medals, certificates for conscientious work;
- A child, often the eldest in the family, in order to earn the love of his parents and approval, takes responsibility for performing “adult” responsibilities around the house.
- A sense of self-importance, significance and necessity through the work performed: “When I’m at work, I’m worth something, I like myself, respect myself and nothing else!”
- Low communication skills;
- The euphoria once obtained and the work noted by management reinforces the dependent reaction in a person to feel similar feelings again.
Workaholism
Workaholism
To begin with, it is worth clearly defining what we will call “workaholism.” In my opinion, this is one of the types of addiction, that is, a problem that is on a par with alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction and others.
We can talk about workaholism if a person does not enjoy work, gets tired, works much more than the statistical norm, but at the same time cannot get away from it, free himself. When viewed from the outside, one gets the feeling that a person is simultaneously performing two actions - trying to push away, running away, and on the other hand desperately holding on, clinging to his work.
1. How to try to prevent addiction to workaholism?
I think that the true reasons for such addiction as workaholism lie, like many of our difficulties, in childhood. Due to various circumstances, a person develops a dependent type of relationship with the outside world, and then it doesn’t matter why exactly he chooses to depend. It could be a job, a substance, or another person.
Often people choose to depend on work because, firstly, it is a socially encouraged dependence, especially in the conditions of modern business culture, and secondly, it is a convenient way to completely fill all the time of their lives. That is, by working 18 hours a day, a person, as it were, frees himself from solving all other problems - for example, in this way, it is very convenient not to have to deal with unsettled personal relationships, or simply the lack of personal life. That is, if we talk about a kind of prevention, then the recommendation could be the following - do not turn away from existing problems, do not try to drown out the pain, shame, fear of loneliness by diving into work or a bottle. If you cannot cope with these experiences on your own, it is better to consult a psychologist.
2. What to do if a loved one is a workaholic? How can I help him?
In my opinion, it is more important to do no harm than to help. The fact is that very often families in which one of the members is a workaholic turn their relationship into an endless, tedious and dangerous game. One of the participants (addicted) takes on the role of a “victim”; he suffers from a “persecutor” (hard work from which, for a thousand reasons, it is supposedly impossible to leave). And someone else chooses the role of “rescuer”. Then the endless series about “Tom and Jerry” begins. All participants in the game, despite real suffering, also receive various psychological benefits. The “victim,” for example, abdicates responsibility for his life and gives it to the “savior.” The “rescuer” is, on the one hand, in the role of a hero, which is already nice, and on the other hand, he receives (temporarily) unlimited control over the person being rescued. Roles change periodically, but no real change occurs.
If a loved one is a workaholic, then there is no need to do anything special. That is, everything is as usual - to love, to be close, to empathize. And if he wants this, help him find a qualified psychologist.
3. What to do if you are a workaholic yourself?
It is better to seek help from another person if it is a specialist.
The fact is, for many workaholics, one of the hardest things to do is ask for and then actually accept help from another person. And at the same time, this is also a very important step towards change. This is probably why workaholics usually turn to a psychologist only when a breakdown has already occurred, they have reached the edge and there is no longer any strength left of their own.
If you think you're a workaholic, that's very good.
Yes, yes, the fact is that recognition of such a problem is a necessary condition for solving it!
Now try, at least a little, to give up the usual thoughts like “I can handle it... I can do it... It’s hard, but I’ll pull it out...”. Ask for help and try to accept it!
4. Are there any treatments for this new disease? Maybe in other countries.
There are ways. Both here and in other countries. I would just not call workaholism a disease. In my opinion, it is rather the way a person decides to organize his life. Unlike alcoholism and drug addiction, no substance is involved in the formation of workaholism, that is, physical dependence is not formed. If we talk about workaholism as a disease, then one danger arises - the desire of the workaholic himself or his loved ones to find a magic “pill” for this “disease”. This can be done for a long time... and probably to no avail. And this is another convenient way to relieve yourself of responsibility for your life and try to dodge reality.
You can change your life and organize it differently by working with a psychologist, which involves studying exactly how a person does not satisfy his true needs, but instead uses a surrogate (for example, work). Such research helps to better understand, “notice” yourself and your desires and learn to satisfy them in a more successful way.
Signs of workaholism
What distinguishes a workaholic from an ordinary hardworking citizen? Workaholism is a pathological behavior, and if you look closely at such a person, you can trace the constantly manifested characteristics, or the so-called “tricks” of a workaholic:
- talks only about work;
- uses the words in speech: “must”, “need to plow”, “demand”, “work through the roof”;
- periods of weekends and holidays are perceived by a workaholic as wasted time;
- At home all thoughts are about work;
- rest and pleasure are not about a workaholic: he feels worthless and restless;
- ignores the needs of the family; all responsibility for solving everyday issues and the process of raising children lies with the second partner;
- emotional coldness and detachment;
- convinces others that he works to provide for his family or comes up with another excuse;
Workaholism is a disease that people don't talk about
People who have just developed this sore confuse it with motivation and increased productivity. But in fact, dependence on work or (clinical) workaholism is the path to one of the most severe neuroses, which cannot even be compared with professional burnout. And that's why.
Workaholism is usually praised, but it is a monster
I mentioned professional burnout for a reason. We all know its main signs: aversion to work, decreased concentration, apathy. In short, a person becomes boring, lethargic and needs nothing from life. He approaches the keyboard reluctantly and only out of great need. There is no need to talk about any satisfaction from one’s activities. And this is very, very scary for everyone, because in IT circles most people actually like what they do. The opposite of burnout is a state of “working tone” - when you are cheerful, fresh and productive. You can’t just sing songs like a Disney princess. In our society, it is also customary to praise work, as well as the desire for it. I don’t know where this came from, maybe life was simpler before (no) and it was possible to play pranks every day (also not, but you never know), but the painful craving for work has been elevated to the rank of virtues in our society. But what if I told you that workaholism is not the cute fluffy bunny that it is portrayed to be? After all, it’s true that mothers almost boast to their friends that their basket-sized son (even if the son is already under forty, with three children and a dog) is such a hard worker that she can’t get enough of everything, and the phrase “just a workaholic” will slip through at any moment. I have it!” If mothers clearly knew what “joys” workaholism promises, they would not be so optimistic.
Workaholism as it is
In general, the term “workaholism” appeared relatively recently and was coined by Wayne Watts in his 1971 book “Confessions of a Workaholic.” At the same time, it is believed that workaholism precedes the professional burnout described above, but personally, I can’t put physical dependence on work on a par with subsequent apathy and denial of professional activity. Rather, workaholism only gets worse over time, because, as in the case of alcoholism, which is consonant with it, it is a physical dependence. Now I will give part of the list of signs of workaholism, which were kindly collected on Wiki, selecting the most “tough” of them:
- After hard work, it is impossible for a workaholic to switch to another activity.
- Worry about work interferes with his leisure time.
- A workaholic believes that satisfaction can only be felt in work.
- A workaholic feels energetic, confident and self-sufficient only by working or thinking about work.
- If he doesn't work, he feels dissatisfied and irritated.
- A workaholic does not organically understand the meaning of rest and the joy that comes from it.
- He panicky avoids the state of “doing nothing.”
- It is characterized by the words: “everything”, “always”, “I must”.
- Typically, a workaholic sets goals that he cannot achieve and places excessive demands on himself.
And now I will describe a number of states of a typical workaholic in which he constantly exists. A workaholic can be lazy, this is generally normal for all living beings. But unlike an ordinary person, our victim is getting worse and worse physically every hour. Simply because it doesn't work. Rest is not about workaholics at all. No, they relax, sleep, watch movies, but if ordinary people are distracted and accumulate energy during their vacation, then the workaholic is charged with a level of anxiety. You know, like the feeling before a thunderstorm or like something bad is going to happen. You can get rid of this only with a dose of hard work. Vacation for a workaholic is possible if you deprive him of any opportunity to work. For the first 2-3 days he will have withdrawal symptoms, after which our nervousness will go “under the skin” and hide in order to begin to “pump up” the workaholic’s nervous system with a vengeance upon returning home.
Do not confuse workaholism and hard work
Many people do not share workaholism and hard work, believing that both of these phenomena are one and the same. Very often, people who can simply “get together” quickly are attributed the traits of workaholics. This is wrong. First of all, you need to realize that workaholism is an extremely painful and, in the long term, dangerous state of the human psyche. Workaholism does not provide super strength, productivity and other “Stakhanovite” goodies with which it is associated. A workaholic may be lethargic, exhausted, and have trouble concentrating. What distinguishes him from a simply hardworking person is that he feels physically ill without the process of work itself . At the same time, the results of work fade into the background: as soon as a workaholic copes with the task assigned to him, the result instantly depreciates and is no longer important. All that matters is receiving and completing the next task. Workaholics also do not know how to “work on credit.” It doesn’t matter how many hours you worked yesterday, you still need to do something useful today. Nervousness is not affected by either the complexity or the number of tasks assigned. They all disappear, as if in a black hole, and the workaholic goes in search of a new “dose”. In general, an analogy with any type of drug addiction most clearly characterizes the state of a workaholic. The same dissatisfaction, the same physical dependence, the same search for a new dose. The longer a workaholic is inactive for objective or subjective reasons, the more stress he accumulates. And it is almost impossible to get rid of this condition.
Risk groups and how to live with it
Freelancers of all colors and sizes can be included in the “risk group,” but in reality no one is protected from this neurosis. How to deal with it is also not clear. On the one hand, workaholism seems to be useful. At least it's profitable. In addition, the problem of workaholics is successfully hushed up, and is even encouraged by business, because such people are extremely valuable and profitable. Workaholics themselves, like avid drug addicts, do not want to be treated and will not. I haven’t come across such a term as “fighting workaholism” at all. Society perceives this nervousness at the level of a joke: “Oh, well, it works, okay. Everyone is working!” An ordinary person simply does not understand the painful state of a workaholic, and out of ignorance may also envy him. They live with this phenomenon mostly in silence, sometimes for a long time. Constant stress from not working or not working hard enough is exhausting and burns up internal resources. It would seem that the logical outcome of such a state should be burnout, but this does not always happen. At the same time, workaholics are often clearly aware of their own problems, but follow the path of least resistance: work and calm down for a while. When you live in a state of “compressed spring” for many years, such destructive tactics seem to be the best way out. Just work, complete a couple of tasks, and then a couple more. Tomorrow will be a new day, new tasks, then you have to get through the weekend and Monday morning, and you’re back on the horse. The only question is: will your nervous system withstand such a rhythm and will you survive into old age? And there is no answer to it, because workaholism is supposedly not a problem, and there is nothing to discuss it.
Types of workaholism
Workaholism can be different and depends on the motives and goals, the nature of the personality of the workaholic. Classification of workaholism:
- Social workaholism
- in every organization and in society as a whole there are activist people who are ready to voluntarily participate in public works. - Office workaholism
. The most common type of work addiction. - Creative workaholism
- people of art are susceptible to it. - Sports workaholism
is addiction to sports and physical exercise. - Home workaholism
. Women who devote themselves to housework cannot imagine themselves without everyday household chores, which take up all their free time.
Workaholism (workaholism)
The term "workaholism" was coined in the early 1970s. Even the first studies on workaholism revealed its similarities to other types of chemical dependency (Mentzel, 1979). Like any addiction, workaholism is an escape from reality by changing one’s mental state, in this case achieved by fixation on work. Moreover, work is not what it is under normal conditions: a workaholic does not strive for work due to economic necessity, work is by no means one of the components of his life: it replaces affection, love, entertainment, and other types of activity (Korolenko , 1993). In our cultural society, workaholism is much more common among men, although the processes of emancipation also affect this respectable addiction. A significant number of so-called businesswomen can be classified as workaholics.
What is the difference between a hardworking person and a workaholic? A hardworking person has a goal in front of him, the result of his work is important to him, for him professional activity is just a part of life, a way of self-expression and a means of self-sufficiency and creation of material wealth. For a workaholic, the opposite is true: the result of work has no meaning, work is a way to fill time, such a person is focused on the production process. Family relationships and the family itself are perceived by a workaholic as interference, distracting from work and causing irritation and annoyance.
One of the important features of workaholism is the compulsive desire for constant success and approval from others. The addict experiences a fear of failure, of “losing face,” of being accused of incompetence, laziness, of being worse than others in the eyes of his superiors. Associated with this is the dominance of feelings of anxiety in the psychological state, which does not leave the workaholic even during work,
“Socially acceptable” forms of non-chemical addictions
not in moments of short rest, which is not complete due to the constant fixation of thoughts on work. The workaholic becomes so fixed at work that he constantly alienates himself from family and friends, becoming increasingly isolated in the system of his own experiences (Korolenko, 1993). At the same time, a study of the rate of divorce among Australian psychologists with and without signs of workaholism conducted by R. Burke et al. (2003) did not find any significant differences.
G. Porter (1996) identifies such properties of a workaholic, characteristic of any addict, as rigid thinking, withdrawal from reality, progressive involvement and lack of criticism.
Workaholism, like any addiction, is accompanied by characteristic personal changes, affecting, first of all, the emotional-volitional sphere. The development of the process is combined with a progressive increase in emotional emptiness, and the ability to empathize is impaired. Interpersonal relationships become difficult and are perceived as burdensome and requiring large amounts of energy. A workaholic, already on a subconscious level, tends to avoid situations where active participation is required, avoids discussing important family problems, and does not participate in raising children who do not receive return emotional warmth from him. He prefers to communicate with inanimate objects (less often with animals), rather than with people, because this does not require solving pressing interpersonal problems (Korolenko, 1993).
At the same time, the addict convinces himself and those around him that he is working for money or another abstract goal. Such protection is accepted by society. A person does not understand that this way of “wasting” himself is a dead end; he does not realize his own potential. Outside of work (illness, dismissal, etc.), a work addiction is easily replaced by another, often a chemical one.
In the psychological portrait of workaholics, according to V. Kukk (1999), the conscientious type predominates, and it is characterized by the following features:
• thoroughness in work; love of cleanliness and order; great effort, patience and diligence, but in the end - achieving average results;
• striving for perfection in everything - in moral and ethical standards, demanding this from other people;
• difficulties in choosing; also careful weighing of the pros and cons in actions, thoughts and strategies, the desire to be “correct”;
• getting stuck in details, details, moments; excessive thoroughness;
• perseverance, developing into stubbornness, determination, straightforwardness in achieving the goal;
• systematic thinking, organization, giving excessive importance to secondary things;
• foresight, fear of mistakes;
• accumulation of stress, tension, resentment (inability to relax, rest, forgive, openly express one’s emotions).
O. Vesnina (2004) proposed her classification of workaholics in terms of further prognosis and correction of their addiction, which, despite its obvious popular science style, to some extent reflects the differences among addicts:
"Workaholic for others"
is someone who works very hard and is very happy with it. Mom and friends, and then wife and children (if he manages to have them) may be very unhappy, but they cannot do anything about it. It is impossible to help a “workaholic for others.” It's like treating a drug addict who doesn't want to be treated.
Sports addiction (exercise addiction)
50.3
"Workaholic for yourself"
- This is someone who works very hard, but has conflicting feelings about it. The “self-employed workaholic” is not hopeless. Not everyone who works very hard is a workaholic. If other areas of such an employee’s life - family, leisure, friends - do not suffer, this means that he loves not only work, but also everything else.
"Successful workaholic"
is someone who, thanks to their work, achieves great professional/career success.
"Workaholic Loser"
- this is someone who zealously engages in useless activities that no one needs. He imitates work, filling the void in his life.
"Hidden Workaholic" -
This is someone who complains in public about how much he doesn’t like to work, but in fact he gives all his strength and love to work. One “leg” of a workaholic “grows” out of fear of loved ones and the depth (unstructured work) of emotional relationships with people, fear of an internal emptiness that needs to be filled. The other “leg grows” out of the desire for superiority over everyone and perfection (in childhood, they always demanded something from a workaholic and never loved him for who he was).
R. Burke (2004), using the Spence and Robbins workaholism test, identified three groups of workaholics: Work Addicts, Work Enthusiasts and Enthusiastic Addicts. The lowest levels of self-esteem were found among work addicts.
Workaholism is associated with the addictive properties of the organizations in which workaholics work. Such an organization is a closed system that limits the ability of its employees to think independently and perceive many phenomena that go beyond the concept of this system. In Soviet times, this was expressed in an overvalued attitude towards quantitative indicators of work, in endless “fulfillment and overfulfillment of the plan, counter plans”, in fixing attention on the formal side of the work - various types of reports, reports, indicators. In other words, in an effort to make a favorable external impression. The addictive system has the characteristics of an individual addict (Korolenko, Dmitrieva, 2000).
The development of workaholism is also facilitated by a system of petty control, constant checks of efficiency, quality, etc. This kind of approach is based on distrust of a person, disrespect for his personality and contributes to the formation of a work-goal mentality with reduced opportunities for true self-realization.
A workaholic influences other family members who do not receive emotional support from him. Family members either see him as an example, or do not accept him and follow the path of more destructive addictions. Children of workaholics often abuse psychoactive substances.
At the same time, it should be taken into account that workaholism can become a “saving” addiction for former drug addicts and alcoholics at the rehabilitation stage (Egorov, 2004; Hatcher, 1989).
Workaholic - good or bad?
Workaholism cannot be unambiguously classified as a negative phenomenon. At first, being inspired by a task and completely devoting oneself to a project can help a person move up the career ladder, launch a successful business, and benefit society with his research. But the difficulty lies in the fact that a person cannot stop in time and switch to other areas of life. Workaholism and its consequences:
- sooner or later the quality of the work performed begins to suffer;
- physical and moral fatigue accumulates;
- somatic diseases are formed;
- various mental disorders;
- depression;
- break with loved ones.
Workaholism: Serious addiction
If work consumes you and ruins your personal life, something worse could happen: you could become a workaholic.
In Japan it is called karoshi - "death from overwork" - and causes approximately 1,000 deaths a year, and about 5% of strokes and heart attacks in that country occur in workers under 60 years of age.
In Holland, this disease is known as “leisure time disease”, and according to research, it affects about 3% of the total population. Workers actually become physically ill on weekends or vacations when they try to stop working or relax to no avail.
In the United States, workaholism is still considered a so-called serious addiction, as dangerous as any other addiction, and millions of Americans suffer from it, whether they work or not.
“Yes, workaholism is an addiction, an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and it is not the same thing as working hard or working extra hours,” says Brian Robinson, assistant professor of science, one of the leading American researchers on this disorder, and author of the book Chained to the Desk. and other books on workaholism.
The difference between hard work and workaholism
“Through hard work, we've gone into space, developed vaccines, and our country is moving forward,” he says. “But people who work hard usually have some kind of balance in their lives. They are sitting at their desk and thinking about the ski resort. Workaholics, on the contrary, go skiing and think about work.”
Obsession with work takes up all the time, which prevents the workaholic from maintaining healthy relationships, outside interests, and even taking steps to protect his own health.
“These are people who can have children, but still miss Little League games and school plays not because they really need to.
be at work, but because they feel they
need
,” says Tak Ti. Soule, an assistant professor of science, is a psychotherapist based in Columbus, Ohio, who often counsels workaholics. “They neglect their health to the point of disrepair and ignore their friends and family. They don't take vacations so they don't miss work. And even when they go on vacation, their minds remain at work.”
“As with other addictions, people often don't fully understand how their work addiction affects them and those around them,” Tuck says. “Often they only become aware of their problem when something catastrophic happens to them—their health deteriorates greatly, or their marriage or relationship breaks down.”
Adrenaline addiction
This was the case of Cherie, a 52-year-old nurse from California. Several years ago, she realized that she was a workaholic and began attending Workaholics Anonymous meetings once a week, which, like Alcoholics Anonymous, has a 12-step recovery program. She now volunteers and helps others at the group's command center in Menlo Park.
“I had a very successful career, I was an efficient worker, and my bosses liked me,” she says. “But other than work... I didn’t really have anything. I never thought there was anything wrong with me until I tried to be intimate for about the fifth time. This was a red flag for me, and it probably helped that my partner at the time was going through a 12-step recovery program for another addiction. I took a 20-question test on the Workaholics Anonymous website, and answered yes to 16 of them. I realized that I have my own addiction – to adrenaline.”
Do not laugh. Workaholics have a physiological need for an adrenaline rush, says Robinson, a psychotherapist in Asheville, N.C., and professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.
“What we do know is that workaholics are looking for jobs that allow them to deepen their addiction,” he says. “The workplace itself does not cause addiction, just as supermarkets do not cause addiction to food, but they make this addiction possible. Workaholics are looking for high-stress jobs that will provide them with a constant adrenaline rush.”
This rule applies even when they are not working outside the home.
“Workaholism is more common among women now because we see more women in the workplace. But I believe that even before this trend, workaholics were doing it at home,” says Robinson. “They may get so caught up in their parenting responsibilities that they have nothing else to do in their lives, no hobbies, no entertainment, no spirituality, because they will spend all their time being the head of the PTA, running a children's sports league and the scouts organization.”
Disorders often begin in childhood
Research shows that the roots of workaholism often go back to childhood, resulting in low self-esteem that manifests itself in adulthood.
“Many workaholics are children of alcoholics or children from dysfunctional families; for them, dependence on work is an attempt to control a situation that is beyond their control,” he says. “Or they grew up in “outwardly successful families” and their parents were perfectionists and expected unreasonable success from their children. Such children grow up believing that nothing is good enough. Some just give up, but others say, “I will prove that I am the best at everything so that my parents will praise me.”
The problem is that idealism is unattainable, whether you are a child or a successful professional.
“Anyone who has been pressured into perfectionism is susceptible to workaholism because it creates a situation where the person never crosses the finish line because they keep moving further and further,” Soule says.
This is why, despite working extra hours and sacrificing their health and loved ones for the sake of work, workaholics are often ineffective workers.
Workaholic styles
"In general, workaholics are less effective workers because they have difficulty working in teams and entrusting responsibilities to their employees, or they take on so many responsibilities that they cannot be as organized as others," says Robinson.
His research identifies 4 distinct “working styles” of workaholics:
- The bulimic workaholic
believes that work must be done perfectly or not done at all. Bulimic workaholics often fail to start a project and then try to complete it before the deadline, often working fanatically to the point of exhaustion—with poor results. - Tireless workaholic -
he is an adrenaline junkie who takes on more work than he can handle. When trying to juggle a myriad of balls, they tend to work too fast and too hard to get accurate results.
- Workaholic with attention deficit disorder
often starts with great enthusiasm, but does not finish the project - often because he loses interest in it. They often indulge in this brainstorming, but quickly become bored with the necessary details or systematic work.
- Savoring workaholic -
slow, methodical and very meticulous. They often find it difficult to abandon a project and work with other people. They are often absolute perfectionists and miss deadlines because they “haven’t achieved perfect results yet.”
Where to go for help
What can be done? Workaholics are often recommended counseling and support groups such as Workaholics Anonymous, which experts say can be very helpful.
Next »
How to live with a workaholic
A workaholic, a person who is not inclined to everyday ordinary communication and discussion of issues, it is difficult for such a person to enter into family or friendly relationships, and if this happens, the other half must be prepared for the fact that work will take up most of the workaholic’s time. Relationship options when a spouse is dependent on work:
- humility and acceptance of the partner as is;
- choose free time and try to convey to the person pressing problems and concerns about life together;
- suggest going to a psychologist.
How to treat workaholism?
Workaholism is a disease, and treatment is only possible if a person is aware of the existing problem. A visit to a psychologist will help identify the origins of addictive behavior and begin to live, correcting other areas of life that have been neglected. Psychotherapy is group and individual, sometimes with the prescription of sedatives in severe cases. Women's workaholism is more difficult to correct and leads to the manifestation of masculine personality traits and despotism.
How to get rid of workaholism for a woman - recommendations:
- attending psychological trainings on women's issues;
- strengthening self-esteem;
- after a job well done, even if it causes resistance, allow yourself rest, entertainment, relaxing procedures;
- start going on dates.
The most famous workaholics
Famous people are workaholics who have shown by their example that achieving heights is real. These individuals knew what they were doing and had clearly defined goals and a desire to realize themselves and give something valuable to society. Those cases where workaholism benefits the world can be called positive examples. Famous workaholics:
- Bill Gates
. The legendary man who founded Microsoft. Over the course of 6 years from the start of my activity, I rested for a total of only two weeks. In order not to burn out professionally, I allocated a couple of hours a day to go to the cinema. - Mother Teresa
. An example of workaholism for the sake of others. The great deeds of the abbess brought her great moral satisfaction, replacing her personal life and lack of proper sleep. - Jack London
. A unique writer, during his short but bright life, full of hard work 20 hours a day, managed to write stories that penetrated the souls of people with their liveliness and drama. Jack introduced an iron rule for himself: no matter how difficult and full of worries the day was, a thousand words must be written. - Margaret Thatcher
. The catchphrase of the Prime Minister of England, nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” was: “I was born to work.” - Walt Disney
. Strict discipline, sometimes an hour and a half of sleep a day, allowed the animator to realize his dreams.
Films about workaholics
Workaholism is a psychological problem that happens to people who completely devote themselves to their work and decide whether the time spent, and ultimately the majority of their life spent on the “altar” of work, is worth it - you can see and think about this by watching the following films:
- “The Devil Wears Prada”
- Miranda, the heroine played by the beautiful Meryl Streep, is an example of a despotic workaholic woman who works tirelessly. Andrea (Anne Hathaway), a new employee, works around the clock to gain a foothold in her new position and prove herself worthy. Very soon Andrea's personal life begins to crack. - “The Social Network”
is a biography film about the successful young entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg. The price of success is the loss of friends. loneliness and the requirement from their employees of the same sacrificial workaholism. - “Kramer vs. Kramer”
is a good old film that tells the story that family is the most important thing in life. Dustin Hoffman's hero, who has devoted himself entirely to what he loves, is faced with reality: his wife leaves him, leaving him with a six-year-old son. - “How to Lose Friends and Make Everyone Hate You”
- the title of the film speaks for itself. The path from an unsuccessful journalist to the ranks of successful ones thanks to workaholism, will this make the hero of the film Sydney happy? - "The wolf of Wall Street"
. If you work very hard and hard, will your dreams come true?
Do you enjoy your job or are you obsessed with it?
How can you tell if you enjoy your job or are obsessed with it? It's all about motivation.
If you are truly passionate about what you do, enjoy completing tasks, and can delegate when needed, you most likely simply enjoy your job. On the other hand, if you constantly feel an internal compulsion to work, you are consumed by negative emotions and thoughts, you are most likely a workaholic.
Photo: Unsplash
Here are three main signs of workaholism:
- You force yourself to work because of internal pressure.
- You constantly think about working after hours in different environments.
- You work too much, despite the negative consequences for your health, wealth and personal relationships.
Psychotherapist Brian Robinson sums it up: “Workaholism is not defined by the clock. It is determined by what goes on in our heads."
