7 Characteristics of a Workaholic Worker

While the majority of us spend our lives working, few can actually be called a workaholic. Sure you might come in early and stay late, skip a few lunches, and even miss out on some family vacations, but that doesn’t exactly make you a workaholic. 

In fact, research estimates that only about 10 percent of the U.S. population are workaholics. 

Although there is no official definition for what makes a workaholic, experts can agree that there is a problem when work negatively starts affecting one’s relationships and health. 

Check out the list below to find out if you’re an average worker bee or a bonafide workaholic.

Do you schedule everything in advance?

Workaholics love their personal calendar and stick to it like glue. However, while the rest of us are scheduling in vacation time, workaholics are trying to organize their life to fit in more work. Being consistently productive is vital to a workaholic, alongside filling in their calendar with their assigned tasks and assignments, workaholics are continually coming up with new ideas to fill their schedule. 

Are you extremely goal-driven?

Goal setting is an integral part of our lives that helps keep us motivated and working toward improvement. A workaholic takes that to the extreme and sets goals for just about every aspect of their lives. Whether they’re working toward a promotion, searching for a new job, or simply trying to get a task done before its due date, a workaholic sets a goal and will do just about anything to achieve it. 

Are you super competitive?

Most of us love a little competition in our lives, but a workaholic thrives off winning. It doesn’t matter whether it’s for the good of the team or company; coming out on top is crucial to their sense of self. 

Are you an insistent problem solver?

Whenever someone vents to a workaholic, you can bet they’re going to try and find an instant solution. Workaholics don’t like to mull over problems and wait for them to work themselves out. They take action and will come up with some creative solutions. 

Do you struggle to completely relax after working all day?

A workaholics idea of relaxing is much different from the average persons. Instead of coming home and watching a show or browsing social media, they need to be doing something work-related. Whether it’s checking emails, reading up on the weekly report or researching industry related blogs, a workaholic needs to be doing something work-related. 

Do your relationships take a back seat to your career?

Workaholics will often fill their schedule full of work-related activities and forget to pencil in time with family and friends. If you text them, don’t be surprised if it takes them a while to respond (especially if your text is personal and not work related). They might even sign up for an online dating site, but neglect their profile and ignore messages from potential partners. 

Do you love to talk about work?

While capable of talking about your daughter’s dance recital or your trip to Maui, workaholics would much prefer to talk about work. Anything related to the company or within the industry will catch their attention and start a full blown conversation. They love to share interesting studies, statistics, and are incredibly passionate about the industry.