Are You a Workaholic or Do You Just Have a Lot to Do?
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Workaholic physicians tend to build their lives around their work. They may be perfectionists by nature and often deny any health problems. When they do fall ill, they return to work before a full recovery. They often have an excessive workload, which whether they recognize it or not, contributes to their compulsion to work more. An article in the Harvard Business Review finds workaholics report more health complaints, more sleep problems, more emotional exhaustion, more cynicism, and more depression than those who merely work long hours — and these workaholics may struggle to psychologically detach from work. A study in the Journal of Addiction Research Therapy found burnout is a major outcome of workaholism. Other ill effects include greater marital estrangement, strained relationships with children, and poor relationships with others at work and home.
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@monami-s Work addiction, often called workaholism, has become more well-defined as its prevalence increases. In a 2014 study in Occupational Medicine, physicians practicing at a French university hospital took a survey based on their work addiction risk and psychosocial constraints. Of 445 respondents, 13% were highly work addicted and 35% were mildly work addicted. And Medscape's 2022 Physician Lifestyle and Happiness Report, which surveyed more than 13,000 physicians, found 55% of respondents would take a reduction in salary to have a better work/life balance, 70% have had relationships fail because they don't have time for a social life, and 20% rarely spend enough time on their health.