6 Burnout Badges for the Workaholic
It’s July, which means there’s plenty to celebrate: vacations (or maybe, staycations), cookouts, long weekends, sunshine, summer break, and of course, National Workaholics Day!
Okay, “celebrate” might not be the right word for that last one. Still, July is a great month to keep our work-life balance in perspective. If you’ve been distracted or missing out on summer to stay plugged into your work computer, National Workaholics Day might be your cue to reevaluate and reset. It can also be a good time to remember that most of us will overwork at some point in our careers, even if your work habits are healthy right now.
Burnout Badges
Overwork looks a little different for all of us, so we’ve come up with six Burnout Badges to help you identify the behaviors that motivate you, which can also lead to overwork, if not kept in check:
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Depends on constant performance and achievement for self-respect and self-validation.
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Takes order and organization too far, often leading to anxiety.
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Struggles to say no, even when they want to, and sacrifices their own needs.
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Overschedules constantly and is rarely content with what’s happening in the present.
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Involves themselves in everything and struggles to let others own things for fear of missing out.
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Tries to gain acceptance by helping, rescuing, or flattering others, but loses sight of their own needs.
You might wear different badges—or multiple badges—depending on what part of your career path you’re on or what audience you’re with. Keep in mind, there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these behaviors! But when they become extreme and keep us from being fully-present, it’s time to check-in.
By naming our burnout, we can help ourselves learn to recognize patterns of overworking—before they get out of control.
Workaholism vs. Working a Lot
We get it. Sometimes you just have to put in some extra hours or take on an extra project. And even then, regular work days can sometimes feel more draining than when we’re in the middle of a serious grind. Those experiences don’t automatically make us workaholics.
However, there’s a difference between being a workaholic and just having a long day. First, work addiction is chronic. It happens for weeks, months, or even years at a time. It also isn’t confined to unusual projects or busy spells that are normal for your industry. Second, work addiction affects your nonwork life. We borrow feelings, energy, and time from other people and passions in our lives. While our nonwork lives can usually absorb our inattention for short periods of time, workaholism builds up a debt to our relationships and hobbies that can be hard to repay.
The line between work addiction and working more than usual can be blurry. But there are some warning signs:
Anxiety. You might also have physical symptoms, like digestive issues, headaches, or loss of sleep, from worrying about the job.
Anger, Cynicism, or Resentment. You’re skeptical about your purpose or performance, and you might be lashing out—at colleagues, family, or yourself.
Bad Days, Every Day. You might not be getting relief from a weekend off or venting about it.
Checking. You read emails, make calls, and work on projects from personal devices and during your personal time.
Hobbies. You’re too tired or distracted to commit to other passions like exercise, arts, or volunteering.
Relationships. You’re skipping out or only half-present, and your loved ones have probably commented about your work habits, too.
Work-life balance is a spectrum, and it’s only natural to experience its highs and lows. We cross into workaholism when we have long stretches of overwork and related negative feelings.
Reigniting the Spark
The irony of workaholism is that it often stems from passion. The same things that attract us to a career or motivate us on a project can be what keep us cued into them for too long. Passion that leads to overwork ultimately causes burnout. If you’re awarding yourself a Burnout Badge, it’s healthy to step back, check in on your work-life balance, and reignite your passions by:
Using some PTO—especially if your organization offers unlimited time off.
Scheduling a set time to start and end your day.
Delegating or declining tasks.
Reconnecting with a friend, family member, or mentor.
Rediscovering a hobby or trying something new (without turning it into a side hustle).
After recovering our passions, we have to protect them from entering a cycle of overwork and burnout. Our Burnout Badges—and our 4Human inventory—are just a few tools that can help you stay mindful.