Recognizing Workaholism: The Dark Side of Productivity

Every January 1, many of us vow to give up our unhealthy habits. We pledge to cut down on alcohol, smoking, desserts, social media, and a host of other enjoyable pursuits. How many people pledge to cut down on work?

If research is our guide, we can expect professional overindulgence to make the list this year, because workaholism, while not considered a true "addiction" by psychological professionals, can in some cases be as destructive as the other vices we annually vow to curb. Research explains.

Source: Image by Claudio Scott from Pixabay

Balancing Health and Wealth: When Diligence Becomes Destructive

María-José Serrano-Fernández et al. (2021) explored the perils of so-called "workaholism" and its ability to predict anxiety and depression. [i] They began by acknowledging that an employee’s work habits can impact both psychological and physical health, and work demands can lead to negative outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and stress. In their study, they found that feelings generated by work, and excessive work, are both predictors of depression and anxiety.

We can imagine the negative results of workaholism would include health issues, absenteeism, and a gradual shift in priorities associated with quiet quitting. [ii] But perhaps the more pertinent question from a prevention perspective, is how does workaholism develop in the first place? Research explains this as well.

Fueling Workaholism: Emphasizing Overproduction

Serrano-Fernández et al. define a workaholic as “a person who spends excessive time working in such a manner that it negatively affects their social development, family, and leisure.” They also note that such people have high self-expectations at work beyond what they are required to do, and devote more energy to work than necessary, leading to a mindset of thinking about work even when they are not working.

The researchers recognize that engaging in such behavior typically leads to a depletion of energy resources, even for employees who like their work. Consequently, they note that workaholics report lower levels of energy, happiness, and engagement, and high levels of anxiety, depression, and fatigue.

Regarding the mechanism by which workaholism can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, they note that when individual characteristics and work situation is perceived as threatening and overwhelming, anxious people will expend extra time and effort to complete their tasks. Such excessive work may function as an escape mechanism linked to anxiety and depression. They explain that people who are anxious fear failure and may engage in repetitive reviews of their work product or reject incoming tasks to prevent overload, while people who are depressed work slower, often due to lower energy, and end up having to work increased hours to finish the job.

Fatigue can be perceived as a natural outcome of a long, unpleasant workday, but could also result from the reality that Serrano-Fernández et al. note that within companies with conventional work schedules, employees experience pressure to meet goals in the shortest time possible, which usually means working more hours than legally contracted to put in.

Finding the Sweet Spot: Work-Life Blend

One bright spot in the research is that employees who work long hours but enjoy their work are less likely to suffer adverse consequences due to work-related stress, including burnout and poor health. So considering that most of us work to live rather than live to work, finding a happy medium can be viewed more as a work-life blend than “balance”—a term that implies something may be about to fall.

Setting boundaries and managing professional expectations can be accomplished through using a daily planner, calendar, or other method of proactively protecting personal time. Savor your salary, but also set aside time to enjoy the fruit of your labor with family, friends, your faith community, and making time for favorite activities.