Workaholism

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I am a workaholic.  This has had a huge impact on my life and not in a positive way.  This is my form of addiction.  While there are many reasons that people work themselves into a ditch, mine all stem around avoidance of some form.  A workaholic is a person who works compulsively - while the term generally implies that the person enjoys their work, it can also alternately imply that they simply feel compelled to do it. I firmly believe why Dennis and I work so well together is that we are both workaholics.  The good that has come of it is that I am living in the nicest house I probably ever will in my life, I have everything I want in life - truly - except life balance. This is something that has eluded me since I entered the workforce.  The closest I come is vacation.  But in the last few years, I find myself checking my smartphone, to make sure things are going OK.  This is not life balance. 
  • In my life I have worked in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness, or depression - in many cases I have worked to avoid going home to avoid what is there.
  • I've de-prioritize hobbies, leisure activities, or exercise because work.  When I was younger, this was more of the norm - but now I just get mad if I have to miss Mando, or can't go to welding because of work.
  • Being a workaholic has negatively affected my health on more than one occasion.  Asthma, Type 2 Diabetes, Anxiety. 
And unlike an addiction to alcohol or pills, an addiction to working can be hard to kick for the simple reason that it is not illegal, you can't go to jail for it. That said, it can still ruin your relationships just like being addicted to illegal things.  It is something I have to consciously work on every day.  

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