Working hard is not a bad thing, but there is a boundary that differentiates between hardworking and workaholic.
Many people are confused about the definition between a hard worker and a workaholic. According to WebMD, workaholism means prioritizing work over all other activities, even if it affects your health, family, and work quality.
Some spend long hours at work but still make time for their loved ones and enjoy outdoor activities when they have free time. These people are hard workers and not workaholics.
Workaholics actually have little interest in outside activities other than work affairs. In some cases, they let family life fall apart. Most individuals of this type often experience health problems, including depression.
4 ways to distinguish between a workaholic and a hard worker:
1. Hardworking people see jobs as responsibility
Hardworking employees consider work as a responsibility. This type of individual sometimes feels happy when working because they are doing something they like.
Compared to workaholics, they see work as a way to escape unwanted feelings and relationships.
2. Hardworking people prioritize balance
Hard workers will make sure every job is organized so they can spend time with family and friends. Usually, they practice a balance between career and life (work-life balance).
Workaholics, on the other hand, believe that work is more important than everything else in life, including family and friends.
3. Workaholics love impossible demands
Workaholics get their thrills when they can meet impossible demands from employers.
Employees who work hard feel less fun because they may have to work more hours than usual, so they can’t spend time with their families.
4. Workaholics don’t like time off
Hard workers can and should take some time off after long work hours, but not workaholics.
They only think about work regardless of what they are facing or who they are with. In any situation, they will put work first.
So, good or bad to live as a workaholic?
Like other addictions, workaholism can affect a person’s health significantly. Among them are higher work-related stress and job burnout rates, anger, depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic symptoms such as stomach aches and headaches.
Source: RELEVAN
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Anisa is a writer who focuses on career and lifestyle topics in an effort to motivate both job searchers and employers towards greater fulfillment in their professional lives.
Reach me at anisa@jobstore.com.