The 5 Signs That You Are A Workaholic

Are we a nation of a workaholics? The statistics would seem to suggest so.

According to the Trade Union Congress, the number of Britons working “excessive hours”, that is more than 48 a week, is up 15 per cent since 2010.

Our average working week is now 43.6 hours, above the European average of 40.3 – and way up on our French cousins, who work 35.

Alarmingly, these figures include neither the self-employed nor those out-of-office hours spent checking emails on tablets and smartphones.

In fact, it’s this ‘always on’ culture that experts say is contributing to high levels of stress and, conversely, low levels of productivity.

But at what point does a busy work schedule become more than a commitment to work and, instead, a compulsive disorder?

These are five signs you’re a workaholic.

You work longer hours than your colleagues
Not everyone who works longs hours is a workaholic, but when it becomes habitual, it suggest a problem – particularly if others are clocking out before you. According to Dr Gary Wood, a social psychologist and life coach, who specialises in work-life balance advice, workaholics tend to be those who are convinced they haven’t got time for anything else. “It’s this idea that relaxation is wasted time, and this mindset that time spent doing something is equated with efficiency,” he says.

You feel anxious or depressed
Never switching off and never having breaks becomes a mild form of stress in itself, according to Dr Wood, but that can increase to become a stronger, chronic stress. If you’re feeling anxiety and depressed, it could be down to a negative work-life balance, and can lead to wider medical problems. A recent study by scientists at University College London found those working a 55-hour week face a 33 per cent increased risk of a stroke. “What you see with people who are often described as workaholics is that they often work and work and work until they have to take a break. Their health will fail, or they will have what we often call a meltdown,” says Dr Wood.

You’re always on email
The days of completely switching off are seemingly behind us, with work emails easily accessible on phones and tablets. But for some it becomes a compulsion – where they feel anxious if they are not constantly keeping themselves up to date. “You will have people who will always scan their phones, and are never in the present moment,” says Dr Wood. According to the Chartered Management Institute, more than 50 per cent of directors spend 29 days a year outside of work checking emails, when you add it all up. “We always had times in the past where we couldn’t be contacted. It’s almost like punctuation. The brain actually needs a certain amount time to process information,” he adds.

You’re not eating well or regularly
Dr Wood points at the classic example of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher who considered food only to be “fuel”, rather than for enjoyment. Eating at your desk ties into this, and workaholics will often struggle to switch off for 30 minutes to enjoy a meal at home – or even find time to eat at all. Other healthy pursuits, such as going to gym or even spending time outdoors are often sidelined, too.

Your personal relationships are suffering
Also tying into the idea that anything but work is an “obstacle”, many workaholics will turn down invites to social occasions, as well as struggle to find time to spend with their family. “A key indicator is when we start to withdraw, when works become a priority, and we’re not thinking of anything. When it becomes, ‘I’m not watching TV, it’s a waste of time’, ‘I haven’t got time to sit down with the family’,” says Dr Wood. “It’s when work becomes a total preoccupation and everything else is sacrificed.”

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