What Are REALLY Life's Priorities?

Being a Hard Worker vs. Being a Workaholic

Workaholism can manifest as many problems as having a substance abuse problem, being an alcoholic, or having an eating disorder. It is often difficult to detect because our society condones this DIS-EASE. Here are some examples of differences between being a hard worker and being a workaholic…(adapted from Chained to the Desk by Bryan Robinson, Family Therapy Networker, July/Aug., 2000)

-Hard workers experience their work as a necessary & at times fulfilling obligation….
Vs.
Workaholics see their work as a place of safety from the unpredictableness of life and distance from unwanted feelings &/or commitments.

-Hard workers know when to set limits on their work in order to be fully available and present for their family, friends, and to be able to participate in play…
Vs.
Workaholics allow their work to take top billing over all other areas of their life. Commitments to family, friends, and their children are often made and then broken to meet work demands.

-Workaholics get an adrenalin rush from meeting impossible demands…
Vs.
Hard workers do not.

-Hard workers can turn off their work appetite…
Vs.
Workaholics cannot Not Work. They remain preoccupied with work even if they are playing golf with friends or attending their children’s sporting events. The mind of the workaholic continues to grind away about work issues/problems to be fixed.

GETTING THE PICTURE?

If you are curious about how workaholic you might be, I invite you to take the WORKAHOLIC ADDICTION RISK TEST (WART).

WORKAHOLIC ADDICTION RISK TEST
(From Chained to the Desk by Bryan Robinson, 1998)

To find out if you are a workaholic, rate yourself on the WART using the rating scale of 1 (never true), 2 (sometimes true), 3 (often true), or 4 (always true). Put the number that best describes your work habits in the Blank beside each statement.

After you have responded to all 25 statements, add the numbers in the Blanks for your total score. The higher your score (highest possible is 100), the more likely you are to be a workaholic; the lower your score (lowest possible is 25), the less likely you are to a workaholic.

_____ 1. I prefer to do most things rather than ask for help.
_____ 2. I get impatient when I have to wait for someone else or when something takes too long.
_____ 3. I seem to be in a hurry and racing against the clock.
_____ 4. I get irritated when I am interrupted while I am in the middle of something.
_____ 5. I stay busy and keep many irons in the fire.
_____ 6. I find myself doing two or three things at one time, such as eating lunch and writing a memo while talking on the telephone.
_____ 7. I over commit myself by biting off more than I can chew.
_____ 8. I feel guilty when I am not working on something.
_____ 9. It’s important that I see the concrete results of what I do.
_____ 10. I am more interested in the final result of my work than in the process.
_____ 11. Things just never seem to move fast enough or get done fast enough for me.
_____ 12. I lose my temper when things don’t go my way or work out to suit me.
_____ 13. I ask the same question over again without realizing it, after I’ve already been given the answer once.
_____ 14. I spend a lot of time mentally planning and thinking about future events while tuning out the here and now.
_____ 15. I find myself continuing to work after my coworkers have called it quits.
_____ 16. I get angry when people don’t meet my standards of perfection.
_____ 17. I get upset when I am in situations where I cannot be in control.
_____ 18. I tend to put myself under pressure from self-imposed deadlines when I work.
_____ 19. It is hard for me to relax when I’m not working.
_____ 20. I spend more time working than socializing with friends or on hobbies or leisure activities.
_____ 21. I dive into projects to get a head start before all the phases have been finalized.
_____ 22. I get upset with myself for making even the smallest mistake.
_____ 23. I put more thought, time and energy into my work than I do into my relationships with loved ones and friends.
_____ 24. I forget, ignore or minimize celebrations, such as birthdays, reunions, and anniversaries or holidays.
_____ 25. I make important decisions before I have all the facts and have a chance to think them through.


Those scoring in the upper third (67-100) are considered highly workaholic. If you scored in this range, it could mean that you are on your way to burnout, and new research suggests that family members may be experiencing emotional repercussions as well.

Those scoring in the middle range (57-66) are considered mildly workaholic. If you scored in this range, there is hope. With acceptance and modifications, you and your loved ones can prevent negative lasting effects.

Those scoring in the lowest range (25-56) are considered not workaholic. If you scored in this range, you probably are a Hard Worker instead of a workaholic. You needn’t worry that your work style will negatively affect yourself or others.

Tuck T. Saul, Ph.D.