Our jobs take up so much of our time and headspace, but what happens when all you can do or think about is work? If it includes working on the weekends to get a jumpstart on the week ahead or scrolling through your emails at 1am, many of us would probably identify that with the behaviour of a workaholic. Including none other than actor Idris Elba.

On Annie Mac’s Changes podcast, Elba shared that he started seeing a therapist a year ago because he was an “absolute workaholic”. He went on to say: “I have some unhealthy habits that have really formed. And I work in an industry where I’m rewarded for those unhealthy habits, I’m rewarded for that… I’m an absolute workaholic and that isn’t great for life generally.”

But why do so many of us feel like we have to work so much? Charlotte Fox Weber, psychotherapist and author of What We Want, says that work can be a way for people to escape their personal lives, particularly if they’re going through something stressful at home. But it could also be indicative of people-pleasing tendencies and a perfectionist mindset, striving to be the best we can possibly be in our jobs.

“Going above and beyond is a badge of honour, even though it might not be sufficiently recognised or valued. Loyalty and commitment can go too far and become misplaced and self-sacrifice can become a romantic narrative of professional achievements,” Weber explains.

Work addiction can also be about fear and anxiety, worrying about what might happen if you feel as though you’re falling short in your role. “We can become secretly draconian with ourselves in ways that are torturous and destructive.”

And so, if you’ve been thinking about your relationship to work or are worried that you might be a workaholic, Weber has shared some signs for work addiction to look out for:

Feeling constantly preoccupied by work – even when you’re technically not working.

Switching goals and roles to meet whatever is needed in your job – even if they’re outside the remit of your role. “I had a client who said of her work self, ‘I’m everything, to everyone’ and it was all too much but she didn’t want to give any of it up and there was a constant sense of undiscerning urgency,” Weber says.

When do you pause? If you don’t know, you can find yourself in a state of relentless and limitless work mode, emotionally living for tasks and objectives that are never-ending.

If everything at work feels like an emergency – your perspective can get warped when working and it can start to feel addictive. “Work addiction can be an existential bid for significance and purpose – feeling that you’re needed and all will fall apart if you take time off may be a way of wanting to prove that you matter.”

Malaise –  this can be a symptom of over-extending yourself without properly engaging, zombie-ing through tasks and feeling quite disconnected.

One-upping yourself – coming up with new tasks and pressures can also indicate addictive behaviours to work.

Desperation for positive reinforcement – constantly looking for recognition can become compulsive and obsessional, as though you live or die depending on feedback.

What can you do if you tick some of these signs?

Weber says: “It’s important to set limits and boundaries for yourself and accept that it’s a personal responsibility to not overwork. No amount of work will satisfy ravenous longings to be liked and admired by everyone. Heroic over-working might have rewards but fulfilment is impermanent.”

Like any other behaviour or mindset you might be worried about, it’s worth contacting your local GP for options regarding therapy and counselling options or contacting a helpline such as Mind to talk through the options available to you.

Image: Getty