Workaholism: The Effects & A Guide To Recovery [Infographic]

Most of us have been taught that working hard will get us places. The same has been said about studying. But when does working hard become too hard? Some would argue that “too hard” is when you start getting tired, while others think that if you love what you do, there is no such thing as working too hard. It’s a never ending discussion that will most likely not get us anywhere, and it won’t give us the answer we are seeking. Working hard has always been one of the primary characteristics of people who have succeeded in their lives, whether it is in business, sports or just their relationship with life in general. The new concept of workaholism is becoming ever more present in our society, and people are getting sick because of it.

Workaholism is a mind twisting “sickness” that creeps up on you when you least expect it. It could come through dedication, pride and of course pure unwillingness to accept failure. It’s an illness that has many indicative signs and effects that will make our usual flu seem like a day at the park. There are a lot of people out there who suffer from workaholism, and with the ever increasing pace of innovation, mobility and dedication to succeed, it is highly unlikely that these numbers will decrease anytime soon.

There are hundreds of things you can choose from to do in order to battle this illness, but many will most likely make you feel like you’re missing something or that you are falling behind. It’s a common feeling among workaholics, and one that keeps them working and working, no matter what hour of the day it is.

An infographic presented by Term LIFE Insurance called Workaholism May Be Killing You takes you through the effects of workaholism, and guides you through the recovery process and what you can do about it as well. Going from being a workaholic to a normal functioning person is one of the most mentally challenging processes you could ever undertake. You will have to go through several different levels of acceptance and learn to re-optimize the work you do.

The most important factor of workaholism is that it could be killing you, slowly but surely. The effects range from health issues, mental instability and of course, in rare cases, even death. It’s not exactly the good news anyone was expecting when they so ferociously and happily proclaimed that they’re a workaholic, right?

Have a look at this infographic and see if you’re punching death itself in the face awaiting his reaction. Many times workaholism can be eased by simply telling yourself that at the end of the day, whatever you did your best to accomplish was good enough for anyone. Work is not a competition. It never has been. Business and success might be, but there are far too many people who have gotten a good idea, eased their way through the process of realizing it and become successful, so why stress? Be smart about it instead. Do the work that will have the most impact. That way, you will always stay ahead of your own expectations.