Are You a Workaholic?

Sisyphus, a character from Greek mythology, is famous for the punishment he endured for eternity: pushing the same immense boulder up a hill each day. Like Sisyphus, how many of us cannot stop pushing the boulder uphill in endless toil? Do we possess:

• An overwhelming compulsion to focus on working
• The inability to stop thinking about work
• A tendency to prioritize work over our personal, mental, and physical health, as well as the well-being of our family
• A sense of guilt when not thinking about work

Ultimately, workaholism does not lead to a fulfilled life built on a meaningful purpose. It is detrimental to the individual and the organization.

Malissa Clark’s article “A Workaholic’s Guide to Reclaiming Your Life” was eye-opening for me, and it may be for you, too. It made me reflect on my mindset, especially during the nine years I spent on Bo Schembechler’s Michigan Football staff, where for six months of each year, we worked 92 hours/week and the other six months we put in 60 hours/week. There were 15 of us doing it all together, so it did not feel odd. Until one Friday afternoon, three years after leaving the football staff to be an Associate Athletic Director, I realized my son, Sean, a high school sophomore, had a lacrosse game literally across the street. I had things to do, but for once, I assessed what was more important and went to his game. Heading to his game, I had a wake-up call: Why is this the first time you are leaving work to watch one of your children?

From that day on, my wife, Lynn, and I made every one of our kids’ events we could attend through their high school and college years.

This November, we will dedicate our three blogs to the issue of workaholism.

• This week’s piece will focus on what workaholism looks like and its advantages.
• Next week, we will review the downside to workaholism.
• Finally, we will share how we can live more purposefully.

First, a Moment for the Upsides of Workaholism

Like many things, this phenomenon has good and bad sides. Here, we will share the upside of workaholism and what it enables:

• Remarkable productivity – the ability to get an unusual amount of work accomplished quickly (at least for the short term). Workaholics often stand out and are recognized with compensation for their efforts, as well as promotions.
• Deep sense of purpose – a commitment to something deeply fulfilling. Total immersion that feels rewarding.
• Rapid growth – trying and doing more with great intensity over a short period provides learning opportunities that are not available otherwise.

If you would like to assess how prone to workaholism you are, you can take the Bergen Work Addiction Scale assessment.

We would love to hear your thoughts on workaholism. Perhaps together, we can better live the purposeful life we all desire.

Next week, we will look at the downside of workaholism.