A couple friends on Twitter linked to Dennis McCafferty's CIO Insight slideshow (annoying) with 10 Clues That You're a Workaholic which came from consultation with doctor of psychiatry David Krueger. The piece also provides four suggestions on ways to get out.
I grew up living with a self-admitted workaholic in the days before the internet and mobile phones. He just spent long hours at the office. I also know that it's a propensity that I have myself - it's almost easier when my work is 90% at the client location, and I don't have any other specific responsibilities outside of the engagement. So it is nice to see this kind of topic come up from time to time.
So what is a workaholic? (Rather than repeating the slideshow, I will summarize some of the points.)
- Can't think of yourself as anything other than what you do.
- Work never goes away or out of mind. It's difficult to put away the phone / email.
- Life revolves around work with fun and family taking back seats. Even in social situations, work is always on your mind.
- Wikipedia has a brief entry on the topic, of course.
And how to recover or change?
- Do what you love, rather than what you have to do.
- Realize that work is only one component of many, many things that happen in life.
- Find other things to do outside of work to bring satisfaction and fulfillment.
- Stop checking email / phone / messages all the time. (Had to be said!)
[Photo: "Work // Fun" by Luis Eduardo Zamorano Saavedra]