Business

In this rush-rush, competitive world, it’s easy to succumb to one of the most dangerous conditions of our time—workaholism.

Sure, most of us have heard the high testosterone quotes. Football legend said the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. True enough, but taking that to an extreme can be counterproductive or even deadly. Burnout scorches everything it touches, including people’s most important relationships.

There’s no doubt that our culture seems to reward overwork while punishing those who don’t conform.

Dr. Malissa Clark addresses this conundrum head-on in her book Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It. She’s an associate professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Georgia where she leads the Healthy Work Lab. Dr. Clark is one of the world’s leading scholars on workaholism, overwork, burnout, and employee wellbeing.

What, you might ask, are the early warning signs of workaholism, and how can people resist the downward spiral?

Clark says people who have a tendency toward workaholism often have certain traits that have been present throughout their lives. One of those traits is perfectionism—nothing ever seems good enough to them. Another is overcommitment—they frequently take on too much without acknowledging their limits.

“Workaholics also have problems with being idle,” she says. “They feel like they should always be doing something, always working on something. When there’s nothing on their plate, the workaholic will find something to add to it.”

Then there’s the allure of today’s hustle culture. 

“For many of us, hustle culture is ingrained in us from a young age,” Clark says. “We are taught that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything you want. Today’s social media is filled with influencers who tout #hustleculture or #riseandgrind, and the emerging generation sees these influencers as role models. As technology continues to tether us to our work more than ever, the emerging generation may have an even harder time putting down, which may further exacerbate the problem.”

How can leaders help reverse the always-available, work-first mentality that’s infecting may workplaces—and do so without putting organizational prosperity at risk?

“For starters, they need to be good role models for their employees,” Clark says. “Show your employees it’s okay to fully disconnect during vacation by not responding to emails (and also use that vacation time!). Leave work early for your kid’s soccer game and embrace this, instead of hiding it. Re-examine your team’s communication patterns and look for ways to break the cycle of responsiveness. For example, have you gotten in the habit of texting employees or emailing after hours? Instead, schedule that email so it arrives during work hours. Respect your employees’ boundaries. Reward working smarter, not longer.”

Dr. Rodger Dean Duncan is the award-winning, bestselling author of CHANGE-friendly LEADERSHIP: How to Transform Good Intentions into Great Performance. For a FREE copy of his book, click here.