Are you a workaholic?
I have been writing lately about being a high achiever and the challenges it brings to your life. If you are a high achiever, does that also mean you are a workaholic? The answer is no. So, what is a workaholic? I have been reading From Strength to Strength written by Arthur C. Brooks. He defines a workaholic as someone who needs to feel special rather than happy[1] and the accolades, spotlight, and rewards received through work cause that person to feel special. That feeling of specialness is addictive causing them to want to at the detriment of all else. Brooks further quotes Wayne Oates who “defined workaholism in 1971 as “the compulsion or uncontrollable need to work incessantly.[2]”
Many of us have known or read about workaholics. They work very long hours, ignore their health and fitness, don’t have time to attend family or children’s school events, and often end up divorced. The workaholics I have known are always tired having not slept enough to rejuvenate mind and body, they are not physically fit and not in the best health. When they “play,” they “play hard.” They have little time to slow down and enjoy their surroundings. But why does this matter?
Eventually, our working life comes to an end whether by decision or imposed by someone else. Our ability to stay at the top of our game and therefore feel special will not last forever. As a workaholic, where will you turn when that working life ends? Will it be too late to develop meaningful relationships? Will your days be filled with remembering and talking about past successes? Will your health have suffered such that you can’t enjoy life after work in a satisfying way?
I am not a workaholic and by writing this, I am not judging. What I know is that it is hard enough for people who are not workaholics to retire from a successful career and have meaning and purpose in retirement so I know the workaholic will have an even more difficult time.
If you are a workaholic, how can you transplant that feeling of specialness to something other than your work? How can you replace the accolades and rewards of success with something else? Can you take those gifts that make you successful and use them for another purpose?
Admittedly, I have asked a lot of questions and not given any answers. I haven’t finished From Strength to Strength but based on what I have read, it would seem a very good place to start (and is very interesting even if you aren’t a workaholic). If you want to talk about this further, please book a free session through my website.
[1] Brooks, Arthur C, From Strength to Strength: finding success, happiness and deep purpose in the second half of life, New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2022.
[2] Oates, Wayne Edward. (1971). Confessions of a Workaholic: The Facts About Work Addiction, New York: World Publishing.