Today, people live in a world where they can work anywhere, anytime, which often means that most individuals now work everywhere, all the time.
In addition, the advent of work-from-home opportunities and the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how many professionals approach work-life balance.
For instance, homes, which used to be where workaholics could feel a need to rest, have now become extra workspaces. Consequently, many people today view workaholism as an appealing lifestyle option.
However, workaholism, an individual’s tendency to work excessively and compulsively, can adversely impact individual, work, and family outcomes.
For example, a study showed that parents’ reduced workaholism helps lessen their children’s emotional and behavioral risk.
The parent’s well-being may significantly impact the quality of their parenting. Individuals struggling with workaholism may find helpful recommendations on this page.
Properly addressing workaholism-related stress is essential to preventing many personal and social issues.
How can you manage workaholism-related stress disorders effectively? What is the possible link between stress and workaholism?
This article lists and explains several ways you can manage workaholism-related stress. This write-up also discusses the potential correlation between stress and workaholism.
4 Ways to Manage Stress if You’re a Workaholic
The complications, competitiveness, and communication overload of today’s business world mean one thing: if you want to thrive, learn how to manage your stress.
Here are some tips for managing stress if you’re a workaholic:
Know When You Need to Stop Working
Knowing how to pace yourself when working may help prevent job-related stress from worsening.
Business typically occurs in bursts. Whether developing a product or expanding a business, long hours don’t last forever.
Suppose your workaholism levels don’t require immediate medical attention. In that case, working intensely for some time is OK as long as you relax for a while afterward.
However, you’re asking for trouble if your work intensity levels are always high. For instance, job-related stress can adversely impact your well-being and work quality.
Slow down when you’re overworked and stressed, and the ideas just won’t come. If possible, simply end the day, go home, or go for a jog or a walk. Inspiration strikes when you’re relaxed—for example when you’re half asleep in bed or taking a shower.
Plan and Strategize
Here’s a stress-reduction technique you won’t find anywhere else: when things appear overwhelming, it’s often due to day-to-day inertia.
Take some time off to reflect and gain a fresh perspective to confront your situation. Set aside time alone or with your team to strategize, brainstorm, and plan. You can also plan for a pleasant dinner out.
Join Workaholics Support Groups
You may also attend workaholic support meetings to help combat workaholism and, consequently, job-related stress.
For example, you may join Workaholics Anonymous (WA) meetings where you may talk with people who experience or have experienced what you’ve been going through.
Workaholics Anonymous (WA) was founded in 1983 and views workaholism as a disorder.
WA has modified its 12-step program and organizes group support meetings and annual conferences. They also provide a wide range of resources, like newsletters, a quarterly publication of member writings, and helpful insights for workaholics’ friends and family.
Attend Therapy Sessions
You may also seek a specialist’s help to manage workaholism-related stress disorders.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, a well-documented and practical treatment procedure for behavioral issues, may help workaholics. CBT may assist individuals in the following ways:
- Identifying automatic biased thoughts; for example, “People will find a mistake and think I’m stupid.”
- Replacing self-imposed restrictions and thinking through things they “have” to do in the workplace; for example, “I have to do this work myself. Otherwise, it won’t end up right.”
- Challenging core beliefs related to their sense of perfectionism, self-worth, and fear of failure; for example, “If I work hard enough, no one will find out about my uselessness.”
Family Therapy
Family therapy can help people understand how their work affects their family members and reveal underlying sources or motivations that drive work habits. This treatment approach may also provide prospects to create a support network to motivate adopting new behaviors.
Meditation Awareness Training
Meditation awareness training (MAT) aims to teach mindfulness techniques to help people increase their perceptual distance from negative emotions. It is especially suited to behavioral addictions because it may elicit self-compassion for addiction-related behaviors like workaholism.
A study also suggests that MAT has significantly improved participants’ job satisfaction, work duration and engagement, and psychological stress.
Workaholism and Stress
Studies show that workaholism has a strong positive correlation with stress. Workaholism-related stress may cause adverse outcomes, such as:
- Work-to-family conflict due to prolonged and inflexible work hours
- Workplace stress that spills over into the home
- Work-related behaviors that are inappropriately applied within the family domain.
Such conflict can cause distress within the family domain, withdrawal from family obligations, and harmful parenting, adversely impacting one’s quality of life.
