You love your job, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy to spend most of your life hunched over your computer while everyone else is having a good time. While you might not think you’ve got a problem, here are 15 signs that you could be a workaholic and how to find a healthier balance.
1. You do lots of unplanned work.
You weren’t meaning to work late, but now you have to finish the task on your desk. You’re not a stranger to putting in extra hours of work every day and even on the weekends. However, if you don’t give yourself a chance to relax and put work out of your mind, you won’t be able to perform at your highest level.
2. You don’t have to work… but you do anyway.
While you’re super busy, some of the work you’re taking on isn’t actually all that necessary. Maybe you’re helping someone get through their workload, or you’re choosing to do more work to help yourself stay ahead. Ask yourself why this is important. Does it make you feel like you’re productive and keeping stress at bay? Consider trying stress-reducing activities that aren’t work-related like meditation or working out at the gym.
3. You nap at the office.
If you’re working late into the night, you might just sleep at the office instead of driving back home. This is disruptive, causing you to make your work your entire world. Set some healthy boundaries, like that you have to leave the office by no later than 7 p.m. in the evenings so you can sleep in your own bed — and stick to them to avoid burnout.
4. You talk about work all the time.
Work for the day ended hours ago but all you can talk about with your partner over dinner is your latest project or what your boss said. It’s stressful for everyone around you and prevents you from living in the moment. Tell yourself that when you close the doors to your office, they’re closed until the next morning – free up some space in your mind for the rest of your life.
5. You’re dealing with sleep problems.
If work’s always on your mind, you might struggle to sleep at night, but this could also happen because you’re stuck in a work-sleep-repeat pattern that’s keeping you from quality rest. Engage in self-care before bed, such as by taking a soothing bubble bath or drinking a mug of chamomile tea while looking at the stars, so you can clear your mind.
6. You kill spare time with more work.
If you’re stressed about work, you might try to reduce the amount of spare time you have with more work. This negatively impacts your emotional and mental health because you can’t engage in activities outside of work that make you feel good. Write up a list of things you need to stay healthy, such as jogging and being creative. Put them on your priority list right now.
7. You distract yourself with work.
When dealing with difficult feelings, you might try to push them aside by focusing on work instead. Over time, these feelings will accumulate and will need to come out one way or another. Take time to deal with them now. When you feel an uncomfortable feeling, write them down or take 10 minutes to process them instead of heading to work.
8. You don’t exercise or eat healthy food.
Working hard all the time makes it difficult to take care of yourself, so maybe you’re skipping your daily workouts and eating junk food for lunch every day. It’s making you unhealthy. Prioritize your wellbeing. Take time out of your day to get healthy food and work out. Start small, like by giving yourself 10 minutes away from your desk. You’ll find yourself refreshed when you go back to work.
9. You’re anxious when you can’t work.
If something prevents you from being able to work, such as an important social event you can’t miss, you might sulk throughout it and feel anxious that you can’t be at the office. But, take the opportunity to focus on the relationships you’ve been neglecting. If you’re married to your work, it’s holding you back.
10. You feel lost when you have spare time.
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If you don’t have any work to do, you’ll feel weird and anxious with the spare time at your disposal. Don’t go back to the office! Use the free time to do activities you used to enjoy. Spend quality time with people who love you. When you’re on your deathbed, you won’t be thinking about your deadlines – you’ll be thinking about all the life you didn’t live.
11. You’re checking your emails at home.
If it’s nighttime or the weekend, are you always glued to your phone, ensuring you check work emails that you might’ve missed? While you might think this keeps you on top of your workload, it’s just adding more stress to your life and making you miss out on life. When you’re at home, switch your phone off, or ask your partner to hide it from you. Concentrate on what’s happening in the moment.
12. Your loved ones are worried about you.
More than one friend or family member has expressed concern that you’re working too much. Although you might respond in anger, it’s worth taking their words to heart and thinking about them. Talk to them about it and see what it is about your workaholic tendencies that’s worrying them. Maybe they can see you’re always stressed or approaching burnout.
13. You don’t take breaks during the work day.
If you’re glued to your desk to the point of not walking away to grab a glass of water or taking lunch breaks, this isn’t good for you. Your world is so much bigger than your desk. Take regular breaks to relax your eyes and engage in conversations with co-workers. This restores your energy and makes you remember that you have a life outside of work.
14. You never take vacations.
If you can’t remember the last time you took a vacation from work, it’s probably time that you go on on! This idea could cause you to feel afraid or anxious, but remember that your life won’t fall apart if you take some time away from work. In fact, it’ll help you to concentrate on yourself and see who you are when you’re not working.
15. Your loved ones feel neglected.
©iStock/a-wrangler
If your friends and family are expressing that they’re feeling neglected because you’re never around or you never make time for them because of your work, that’s a huge sign that you could be a workaholic. Try to imagine how you’ll feel if you lose your friends or partner. Now ask yourself, is working super-hard all the time worth it?
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