Are you addicted to work?

According to a study conducted in 1998, the average American is clocking 44 hours of work per week, an increase of 3.5 hours per week since 1977.  Adding to those numbers, Americans are working more hours than workers in France (39 hours) and Germany (40 hours).

Not only are Americans working more hours, they are spending less time on leisure.  The Economic Policy Institute states that Americans took only two and one half weeks of vacation and holidays, which is less than workers in any other developed country in the world. Would you believe that Germans workers take an average of six weeks of vacation a year?  Are we becoming a nation of workaholics?  Addicted to the workplace?  Take for example major law firms, where 60,80,or 100 hours worked per week is commonplace.  Corporations suggest to their management teams the importance of doing whatever is necessary to finish a project, even if that means working 14-16 hour days, seven days a week.
 
There are hundreds of studies of alcoholism, substance abuse and eating disordersbut only a handful on workaholism, Dr. Brian Robinson, an expert on workaholism believes.  Overwork is this decades cocaine, the problem without a name.  The distinction between hard workers and workaholics is narrowing,

Is there a payoff for workaholic behaviors?  Dr. Robinson notes there is an emotional and neurological payoff because overworking produces an adrenaline rush, which gives the workaholic a high. However, while the workaholic is experiencing a high, spouses may be threatening divorce, valued employees may quit because they cant accomplish unrealistic expectations, and children may be missing valuable time with their parent who is locked behind a desk or computer.
 
What we are seeing in therapy is a huge number of spouses who are unhappy living with workaholics.  They feel lonely and out of control.  They report experiencing emotional unavailability from their workaholic spouse, as well as being told that their concerns are not valid.  Spouses tend to blame themselves for their confusion, report feelings of rage, depression, helplessness, and abandonment.  Societys affirming of workaholics who strive relentlessly at workplaces to move upward in their careers adds to the spouses confusion and turmoil.

Dr. Robinsons Four major styles of workaholism

1.   Bulimic Workaholic: Either do it perfectly or dont do it at all.  The bulimic workaholic has trouble getting started on projects, and has binges of work followed by exhaustion.  Beneath the surface, this workaholic is suffering from low self-esteem, and worrying compulsively about work, while blaming himself or herself for not doing it. 

2.   The Relentless Workaholic: This workaholic loves tight deadlines and believes it is better to start things too soon versus too late.  They dont know how to say no, set priorities, or delegate workloads.  Generally these workaholics complete projects well before deadlines and work too fast and many times carelessly.

3. The Attention-Deficit Workaholic: These workaholics get a rush from new ideas and live on the brink of chaos.  They tend to gravitate toward high-risk jobs and love to start lots of projects, but get too bored to finish them. 

4.  The Savoring Workaholic: This workaholic is methodical and has trouble letting go of projects. This is the ultimate perfectionist who cant tell when a job is finished, fearing the result is never good enough.  This workaholic creates additional work whenever they see themselves coming close to the end of a project.


Do you find yourself in one of these categories or do you find yourself living with one of these?

Here are some tips for recovering from workaholism.
The first step is awareness.  A workaholic has to come to the realization there is a problem.

Recovery involves a transition to shades of gray.  Suggestions include working one fewer hours a week instead of trying to go immediately from 100 hours a week to a 40-hour workweek.  The changes should be gradual and gentle.

Create a plan for balancing career, spiritual needs, self-care, relationships and play.  Allow time for each element in your life.  Actually plot out the hours of the day and set aside time for each portion of your life to create a balance.

Plan time for relaxation.  Learn breathing techniques, practice time management planning, make time for exercise, or take an art class just for fun.

Consider working with a therapist who can help you understand the psychological payoffs of your workaholism.  Find a therapist who understands concepts related to family- of-origin conditioning and workaholism, and has skills related to addiction recovery.

Set realistic goals that can accomplished and then let it go

Plan a reward for accomplishments, which include leisure activities.


Work Addiction Risk Test
(A shorten version of the WART inventory developed by Dr. Brian Robinson)
From the book Chained to the Desk

I prefer to do most things rather than ask for help

I get impatient when I have to wait for someone else or when something takes too long

I stay busy and keep many irons in  the fire

I find myself doing two or three things at a time, such as eating, writing a memo while       talking on the telephone

I over commit myself by biting off more than I can chew.

I feel guilty when I am not working on something

Things never seem to move fast enough or get done fast enough for me

I ask the same question over again without realizing it, after Ive already been given the answer once.

I spend a lot of time mentally planning and thinking about future events while tuning out the here and now.

I tend to put myself under pressure from self-imposed deadlines.


Dr. Joy Miller