The buzz: The truth about workaholism

Ms T sheds light on how it can affect your personal, physical and mental well-being.


Mehreen Ovais April 14, 2014

Are you the first ones to enter the office and often, the last to leave. Do you tirelessly slog away at your desks for hours on end, only to return home and continue working from there.

Work isn’t just a part of life for you; it is life. Regardless of where you are, what you are doing and with whom, there is an innate need to review one last financial statement or respond to a co-worker’s email that you cannot ignore. You are so fixated on getting all the work done, all the time, that it is hard to fathom life extends beyond the confines of your oakwood desks. If this sounds like you then you are a workaholic and in serious need of help.

Workaholics are people who suffer from a compulsive need to work — a need so strong that it creates overt disturbances in their personal lives. Statistics from the US, UK and Canada show increases in the proportion of people working more than 50 hours a day, a trend most common in highly educated and highly paid men. Perpetrators and enablers of such a lifestyle view workaholism as a ‘respectable addiction’ which indicates ambition and a diligent work ethic. But while this is indeed true, they fail to recognise the physical, psychological, social and emotional dimensions. “A strong work ethic is an idea so deeply ingrained in our society that we don’t question it,” says Hina Haque, a 22-year-old investment banker from the UK. “After all, what’s wrong with working hard? But in reality, workaholism is a mental disorder and no one realises how detrimental overworking can be.”

The signs of workaholism

“Workaholics are out of balance,” says Bryan E Robinson, author of Chained to the Desk: A Guidebook for Workaholics. “A hardworker will be at his desk thinking about ski slopes but a workaholic will be on the ski slopes thinking about his desk.” Such cases come in various types, including those who willingly work overtime, who consider sleep and leisure wasteful and avoid vacations lest they have to leave their work undone. Smartphones, laptops, pagers and other work paraphernalia are their permanent companions so they work on the go. Like Fahd Ali, a manager at a multinational, workaholics are constantly worrying about their corporate duties. “My head is constantly thinking about schedules, deadlines, to-do lists and targets that I have to meet,” admits Fahd. “My work has taken over my entire personality. I can now go on working for hours without any idea of what is happening around me, even if I fall sick or don’t sleep.” Hina explains Fahd’s predicament further in that, “Working all the time feeds your ambition and gives you a sort of high. Therefore, workaholism is an addiction.” Such conditions are more common in men owing to the traditional gender role of being the financial provider.

Another trait common to workaholics is an intrinsic desire for perfection in everything they do, discouraging them from delegating and thereby, perpetrating irritability and exhaustion. Stories like that of 21-year-old Moritz Erhardt, who died after working for three consecutive days during an internship in an American bank are rife in the media but few people seem to take workaholism seriously. Perfectionists deem others inept or too unmotivated to undertake a task efficiently and settle upon doing it themselves, increasing their already burgeoning workload.

In some rare cases, despite all their extra efforts, workaholics manage to remain energetic and happy. This special brand of workaholics has an overwhelmingly enthusiastic approach to life, competes fiercely and sets high standards for itself. Ambition, success and recognition are hallmarks it strives for and more often than not, achieves.

A dangerous path

It is often said that a workaholic’s desire for success stems from their own sense of self-worth. Through their work, these individuals feel in control of their lives and the more wealth, power and status they achieve, the deeper they sink into it.  Some like Sara Majid, an economist, work hard to overcome their fears of failure. “I live in fear that I will lose my position at the top,” she admits. “A small mistake can set my career back by years so I keep going on. I don’t even remember the last time I slept for more than three hours!”

It has also been found that workaholics tend to construct a self-image and engage in a constant mission to fulfil it, for themselves and for others. “It is all about impression management,” shares Omer Khan, a manager at a multinational. “You reply to your boss’s email in the middle of the night just once and you’ll be seen as someone who’s got what it takes to succeed.” This also discourages employees from taking holidays or breaks lest they appear lazy. Socio-economic factors like family and peer pressures and social expectations all encourage workaholism.

Of course, the media promotes the enslaving corporate culture further by glamorizing high-powered jobs. TV shows such as Suits and The Practice only fuel one’s desire to be fast-talking, urban money makers to a point where our health, friends and family take a backseat so long as our work gets done. “We have to be super efficient and work like robots every day. Nothing seems enough,” says motivational coach Santosh Nair.

Living to work?

Predictably, workaholism has a number of dire health issues including insomnia, anxiety, stress and heart diseases. Increasing stress levels often lead to abnormal weight gain (or loss) and substance consumption.

But there is much more to the vice than just physical effects. In their obsession, workaholics often lose sight of other priorities in life. A common reaction, for instance, is regarding marriage and parenthood as unnecessary distractions and many women like Sara avoid settling down. “Work is the reason I keep delaying marriage prospects,” she shares. As for those who do have families, the unhealthy amount of time and energy they spend on work causes emotional detachment and psychological damage, not just to them but to their dependants as well. Workaholism is a leading cause of marital friction as spouses are neglected and grow resentful of their significant other. “Sometimes, I feel like I am the only one in my marriage and my husband is married to his job,” confesses Aisha Hassan, who feels alone due to her spouse’s unavailability. “I go to dinners and parties alone, making excuses for him. It is impossible to compete with his job.” Such feelings are stronger amongst women who give up their own careers for their families. Disconnect also arises between workaholic parents and their children. Lawyer Aleena Hassan didn’t realise she was a workaholic until her children stopped interacting with her completely. “I was constantly working and hence, getting angry at my kids,” she recalls. In some cases, the children develop depression and inferiority complexes due to absentee parenting.

Breaking free of a dangerous cycle

The first step to eradicating a problem is recognising it. Most workaholics have no inkling as to their disastrous working habits and justify it by saying that they work for their families. What they don’t realise is that unsound habits actually reduce productivity as stress, fear, inability to delegate and need for perfection only slows them down.

The most effective way of overcoming workaholism is by balancing your work life with other social and physical activities, such as sports or arts which will offer a break from the corporate world. “I used to be a workaholic until I sustained a spinal injury last year,” shares Muhammad Haris, who works in advertising. “Now, after two surgeries, I take out time for exercise. It helps me decompress. It’s a healthy channel to pump my energies into.”

An important step for every recovering workaholic is to establish a proper sleep cycle and disconnect from all technology at least half an hour before getting into bed. “The endless stream of digital information aggravates workaholism,” suggests Harris. “I used to remain connected throughout. Now, I make sure to detach from my phone and computer at night and on weekends.”

Also, interpersonal relationships can be huge saviours for a recovering workaholic. Parents, spouses and children play a significant role in identifying a problem and providing support to the patient as they recuperate. Attacking or avoiding the problem only fuels the fire and leads to personal discrepancies. It is advisable to approach the patient cautiously and help them come out of their ailment patiently.

Most importantly, it is essential to maintain the right perspective in life and learn how to prioritise. A fresh and healthy work-life balance is what one should strive for. Therefore, we must re-evaluate our goals and how we wish to pursue them before it gets too late.

The workaholic meter: could you be one too? 

Could you or someone you know be a workaholic? Take the Bergen Work Addiction Scale test and find out.
Look at the statements below and rank yourself on each, according to the following: 1 = Never, 2 = Rarely,
3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often and 5 = Always. Best of luck!

1) You think of how you can free up more time to work.

2) You spend much more time working than initially intended.

3) You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and depression.

4) You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them.

5) You become stressed if you are prohibited from working.

6) You prioritise work over hobbies, leisure activities and exercise.

7) You work so much, it has negatively influenced your health.

If you score 4 (Often) or 5 (Always) on four or more of the seven statements, it may indicate you are a workaholic.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, April 13th, 2014.

COMMENTS (1)

ammar khan | 9 years ago | Reply

Excellent article, many people are unaware of this disease(psychological disease).Especially our youth feels proud to be workaholic and do not care about problems and diseases they would face as a consequence.It shall be highlighted on as many channels as possible.Otherwise we are going to have a nation of patients(heart diseases etc) because such people do not pass their work stress being a human being(as we are not computer or machine but workaholic themselves alike) through social gatherings, friends and family. However,in my opinion, there are exceptions to this but they all keep themselves energetic through exercise and other noble causes like serving the needy with spare money and time.

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