My Name is Ronny… And I’m a Workaholic

As a leader, I do several things well — working my ass off is one of them. But forgetting to turn off “work-mode” is not. I’m actually horrible at this. I’m also a sucker for routine and planning. Which means I get stuck in my daily routine to maintain my “efficiency.”

My day typically starts at around 6 AM with a 30-minute workout, then I work till… say around 7 PM (there are some short breaks for walks here and there), take an hour long break at 7 PM to unwind and refresh, do another short workout at 9 PM, and work until around 12–1AM. I’ve optimized my meals thanks to weekend meal prepping and delivery (Thanks, Favor!)

Before you jump to the conclusion that I’m not working intelligently, don’t. Yes, there’s always optimizations that I could make throughout my day (no one is perfect), but I have several passion projects I take on the side which occupy a lot of time. I also work with international clients and manufacturers which make for some fun late night and early morning calls.

I’m definitely a work addict. I also know that there are other people out here like me who don’t know how to turn the “off switch” from work. You know who you are. If you’ve ever had a guilty feeling while sneaking a look at work emails, then you’re probably a workaholic.

For me, I justify my workaholism by using opportunity cost. I’d rather work 2–3 hours more than go out to the bar for a happy hour because, in those 2–3 hours, I can put together enough work to increase company revenue by X, or build myself a new revenue stream. This is all great, except when you start to look at the dark side of workaholism.

The Dark Side of Workaholism.

There is a significant difference to being engaged at work and being addicted to it. Workaholics even display similar characteristics to those addicted to drugs or alcohol. There is a necessity to the hours they pour in, and the justification that it’s just for “one week”, but that one week extends for two, to three, to the rest of your life. There’s even the anxiety when they’re not working. There’s a fine line between worried about your financial future, and constantly anxious about your performance. Hell, I’ve even been guilty of sneaking a look at my work email when I’m on designated shutdown time.

However, just like with other types of addicts, a healthy person who may just “work hard” knows how to set boundaries. It’s the difference between three drinks and the whole bottle, but the work version.

Here Are a Few Ways Your Workaholism Can Affect You:

1. Not taking vacations is hurting your career. Several studies have shown that not taking vacations actually makes you less productive and results in poorer performance reviews.

“MORE vacations are similarly beneficial. In 2006, the accounting firm Ernst & Young did an internal study of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation employees took, their year-end performance ratings from supervisors (on a scale of one to five) improved by 8 percent. Frequent vacationers were also significantly less likely to leave the firm.” — New York Times

2. Eating Lunch at your desk is killing you. I remember one of the first startup jobs I had, eating at your desk was the norm. I carried this practice with me for the longest time believing that I was being more productive. Studies show that at least 1/3 of Americans eat lunch while sitting at their desks.

“Sitting 10 hours a day at a desk without reasonable breaks causes muscles to shorten — becoming tighter and weaker and making you more vulnerable to neck pain, migraine, back pain, knee pain…. “- Daily Telegraph

3. You’re destroying your relationships. Workaholics are completely driven by work. That means they’ll ignore their personal relationships or constantly push them aside in favor of keeping themselves busy. Although this study is from 1999, marriages that involve a workaholic are twice as likely to end in divorce.

4. You’ll feel the burn. I’m talking about burnout. Your body and mind can only keep up for so long. I once worked with a startup founder who was the definition of a workaholic. He was on the work grind for so many hours that it eventually led to him being hospitalized for a panic attack. Before that, he started complaining about muscle and joint soreness, lack of sleep, no appetite and more.

5. It’s linked to countless diseases. Along with everything above, workaholism is linked to alcoholism, sleep problems, heart diseases, depression, anxiety, weight gain, high blood pressure, and even premature death. Yikes!

If you’re a workaholic, what are the first steps you can take for recovery?

The 12 Steps to Recovery from Workaholism:

1. Admit that you’re a workaholic and that your work habits have become unmanageable.
2. Understand that you need to restore your sanity and give yourself a break.
3. Make a conscious decision to start taking breaks. Begin leaving your desk for lunch.
4. Overcome the fear that is keeping you from taking more breaks. Start taking at least two 5 minute walks throughout the day, not including your lunch.
5. Admit to your loved ones that you’ve been working too much, and start making time for those around you.
6. Stop taking work home with you. Your time at home should be spent with family, friends, or personal reflection/development.
7. Take inventory. Have you made a conscious effort to stick with steps 1–6? or regressed?
8. Hit the gym or make time for physical activity (if not daily then at least 3 times/week). It will give you more clarity and keep you alive.
9. Take a deep breath. You’ve made positive changes and you deserve to bask in it for a second.
10. Take a personal day. You’ve worked on fostering your relationships, and taking proactive steps to restore your health and sanity. Be selfish and use a single day just for you.
11. Seek enlightenment from the vacation gods. Plan and take a week long vacation away from work.
12. Spread the word. We all work hard and deserve a break. Share these 12 steps to help other workaholics.