Why Being a Workaholic is Actually Harmful to You

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Business owners are often stereotyped. They are seen as stoic, rude, money-driven, focused, and workaholics. Unfortunately, most stereotypes have some truth to them. And, sure, most of these will affect how a person is seen… But overworking yourself can have drastic effects on your life.

There are three ways that being a workaholic can change things: physically, mentally, and through relationships.

First, there is a reason that the phrase “work yourself to death” is used so often. Working too hard can create problems with your physical health. If your job is labor-intensive, you could be putting yourself in harm’s way regarding arthritis, degenerative disc disease in your spine, and all kinds of breaks and tears. You are also likely not getting enough sleep, which causes chemical changes in your brain, affects your memory, and can even cause hallucinations.

Second, a workaholic deals with mental issues. Working too hard for too long can affect the way that you feel about yourself and life in general. Many of these people already deal with anxiety and depression, and overworking will just increase those problems. It can also drive people to addictive behaviors as a way to cope with the stress.

Finally, relationships are deeply affected when someone is spending most or all of their time at work. Significant others feel extremely stressed by having to take on more responsibilities at home. They also feel like they are no longer important and that the workaholic places money above their relationship.

If you find yourself working longer hours than others, do a self-evaluation. Check in to see if you are perhaps overworking yourself. If you are, see what you can do to gain some more balance in your life. (Pro tip: DELEGATE!)

AJ Jewell

AJ Jewell

Amber "AJ" Jewell started at BigPromotions.net in 2016 as a part-time admin assistant, quickly moving to be the 'Duchess of Flow" - making sure that the office is flowing smoothing. AJ is also an award-nominated author, homeschooling parent of three, an avid reader, and a college student.
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