Workaholism can creep up on you. Long hours can start off looking like a good thing, showing that you're serious, dedicated, dynamic and not afraid to pull out the stops. This makes it hard to see when hard work stops being a means to an end and becomes a way of life.

Like other "...aholisms", one sign of workaholism is breaking other promises and engagements in order to work. You might find it hard to keep promises you make yourself as well, like leaving at a certain time or making "just one more" phone call. In considering when it's time to go home, "when you said you would" is always a good place to start.

It helps, too, to look at how you spend the extra time. Are you working on something you can finish or conclude in the next hour? Are there new ideas coming out? Are you engaged in some kind of ACTION (as opposed to thinking, planning or worrying)? If not, you'll probably get more out of leaving things until tomorrow when you can approach them with fresh eyes.

Some people actually prefer working out of normal hours because it's quieter and free from interruptions. But home and social life will still suffer. It's better to find strategies for managing the intrusions and interruptions directly. Assertiveness techniques can give some good pointers.

Lastly, there can sometimes be a more uncomfortable aspect to workaholism. This is when you're staying at work, not because there are things you want to accomplish, but because something is making you reluctant to leave. Distrust of colleagues, stresses at home, an unpleasant commute etc can all make staying on seem like the easier option. Staying at work or keeping in constant contact with work can calm the tensions, but only temporarily. If this is happening, identifying the underlying problem is half the battle. It's always easier to tackle things when they're out in the open.

Learn more about this author, Adele Gregory.
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