The idea of work-life balance emerged in the U.S. in the 1970s. It revolves around the notion that when one aspect of life suffers, it disrupts overall harmony, negatively impacting the other. In most cases, the root cause of this imbalance is workaholism.
What Is Workaholism?
Workaholism is about being unable to disconnect from work, constantly thinking about it. Workaholics enjoy working, earning recognition, and gaining colleagues’ respect, even if they don’t need much money to live comfortably. It’s often hard to distinguish between being highly engaged in work and having an actual problem.
Here’s a list of questions to help determine if you’re working too much:
- Are you always busy and in a rush?
- Do you always want to control everything at work and get frustrated when you can’t?
- Do you strive for perfection regardless of how much time it takes?
- Do you struggle to maintain personal relationships?
- Do you find it hard to stop working until exhaustion and can’t just relax and play a few rounds of blackjack or just chat with your coworkers?
- Is it difficult to disconnect from work, even during breaks?
- Do you often forget conversations or your commute because you’re mentally drained from work?
- Do you frequently get angry because of work?
- Do you feel like you’re not good at your job or powerless against work challenges?
- Do you often skip meals or sleep to work?
If you answered “yes” to most of these, you may be overworking yourself. It’s worth reflecting on your work-life balance. Working excessively can harm your health, and plenty of studies confirm this.
How Workaholism Affects Health
When the pandemic forced many to work from home, people hoped it would make life easier. Instead of commuting, they could spend more time with family or pursue hobbies.
However, remote work made work-life balance even harder to maintain. Small tasks started creeping in through endless work chats, seeming minor but actually piling up into unpaid overtime that could cause serious health problems.
Experts from the World Health Organization found that long work hours can lead to health issues, such as heart disease. Constant job-related stress raises blood pressure and increases the risk of hypertension. Additionally, a lack of healthy food and physical activity can negatively impact the heart and circulatory system.
Working from home can also cause digestive issues. Workaholics often don’t take time to cook healthy meals or eat slowly, instead opting for quick, microwavable food or instant meals.
Mental health also suffers. The constant pressure leads to anxiety, dissatisfaction, and frustration. Workaholics frequently experience emotional exhaustion and stress-related disorders due to their nonstop workload.
Why People Become Workaholics
In an ideal world, people would balance work and personal life. But in reality, job demands consume nearly all their time. Several factors contribute to workaholism and disrupt work-life balance.
- Perfectionism. People who strive for perfection and crave recognition often become workaholics.
- Upbringing and environment. The drive to be a top student in school can carry into adulthood, where success at work becomes a measure of self-worth. Workplace pressure from colleagues or managers can also reinforce the belief that good employees never leave on time.
- Culture. In some countries, relentless work is a social norm. For example, French executives are considered some of the world’s most dedicated workaholics. However, studies show that remote-working executives tend to work less than their office-based peers.
- Money. Low salaries and lack of job security can lead to forced workaholism. Workplace exploitation worsens the issue, especially when employers demand unpaid overtime.
The British historian and business analyst Cyril Northcote Parkinson proposed a rule: “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” If you dedicate your entire day to work, you’ll likely end up working late. But if you plan activities after work, you’ll have to finish on time.
A disrupted work-life balance can even harm job performance. This is the paradox of workaholism — the more you work, the less productive and effective you become. Stress and irritability can strain relationships with colleagues and managers, while chronic exhaustion can hinder professional growth.
In the end, workaholics invest immense time and effort in achieving success, but over time, their work becomes less efficient.