Search
Advice » In the Workplace » Work-Life Balance » The High Cost of Being a Workaholic
The High Cost of Being a Workaholic

The High Cost of Being a Workaholic

By Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs

In a nation of overachievers, hard work is a virtue. If you work hard, you'll achieve your goals. If you work even harder, you'll achieve even more. Right?  

Perhaps not. There are, in fact, several downsides to working too hard. Being the office workaholic can cost you coveted promotions, hurt your home life and even turn friends into enemies. Evaluate yourself with the following five questions.

1. Are You Busy...or Disorganized?

Are you constantly staying late and coming in early yet producing the same output as others? If so, your boss may come to view you as inefficient and possibly disorganized. "There are some people -- type As -- who get a lot of satisfaction from doing lots of work, but the quality isn't necessarily superior," says Dave Cheng, an executive coach with Athena Coaching.

Focus on getting your work done in a reasonable time frame. If you have perfectionism or time-management issues, ask your supervisor to help you prioritize things and learn when to let go of a task. "Just because you're working longer doesn't mean you're working better," Cheng says.

2. Are You Delegating...or Hoarding?

If you have any aspirations at all to move into management, you must learn to delegate work. Again, tasks need to be completed in a timely fashion; if you're having trouble finishing a project, you must delegate to other team members, even if you happen to relish the task you're giving away.

"Some workers feel like if they do everything and they're the only one who knows how to do it, they're making themselves irreplaceable," say Cheng, who has more than 12 years of experience in corporate human resources. "However, sharing information and teaching others around you is a valued skill as far as management is concerned."

Focus on completion and quality and be generous enough to let a colleague learn and shine. If you lack sufficient support, ask your boss about expanding your group.

3. Are You Hungry...or is Your Plate Full?

Once you've solidified your reputation as the office workaholic, you may find that when your dream project comes through the door, you aren't asked to work on it. Why? Your boss probably thinks you don't have the bandwidth to take on anything else. Always keep a bit of room in your schedule to sink your teeth into new challenges and opportunities.

"Your ability to say no to certain things gives you the freedom to say yes to others," Cheng reminds professionals.

4. Do You Have Friends...or 'Frenemies'?

Your workaholic ways are likely alienating once-valued associates. Above and beyond the obvious grumblings of, "You're making the rest of us look bad," your colleagues may dread collaborating on a project with you.

Lose the overly methodical approach, don't expect folks to come in early or stay late for meetings, and focus on process and outcome.

5. Do You Work to Live...or Live to Work?

The best workers are well-rounded professionals with full lives, in and out of the office. Each year, new studies abound about the importance of vacations, hobbies and enjoying your leisure time. But are you listening?

Your friends and family will be in your life a lot longer than you'll hold most jobs. Also, pursuing leisure activities you're passionate about can lead to a second career.

"Work-life balance is a choice," Cheng says. "If you reflexively say yes to taking on extra work, you may live to regret it."

Rate this article:
Average rating:
Email to a friend
Share This
Share This

Latest Jobs

Milestone Technologies
Posted: 5/20/2013
Lowell General Hospital
Posted: 5/20/2013
Lowell General Hospital
Posted: 5/20/2013
Image Associates, Inc.,
Posted: 5/20/2013

Want more personalized results?  Update Your Profile

Email to a friend
Share This
Rate this article:
Average rating:
Monster Advice Forums

Looking for Answers?

Get them on our boards:

Resume Tips
Job Search Advice

All boards
Join the Discussion

Popular Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Is this normal for an interviewer to do this?
So today I went in for an interview and I was going in for the 2nd interview by the head chief executive. now this is where it got weird, so she asked me about my previous jobs and said how much she ...
What do you say when they ask what you want ...
Wen you apply at a job and they ask how mch you want as a salary what do you say?
How do I get a job with Dodgy work history a...
Basically- no degree, although I have tried completing one in the past and stopped because of physical and mental health issues which were overwhelming to deal with along with going to classes full t...
Why honesty, hard work and dedication have n...
Recently I have overlooked for a project at work and I am unable to accept it why? I am hard working, dedicated, maintain a very professional decorum, very cordial with my colleagues and bosses, giv...
I have applied for over 100 jobs I have gott...
As stated in my question I've applied for multiple jobs and gotten no job interview, you name a place I've applied there. I've said i will work ridiculous hours from like 12am to 5am and nothing. I'v...

Monster Communities

Teaching Community
Where teachers meet and learn.
ArtBistro
Create and connect.
Excelle
Networking for the career-minded woman.
Nursing Link
Where nurses call the shots.
More Monster Communities

Monster Partners

Scholarships
Scholarships, financial aid and more ways to pay for school.
Education.org
Find top campus and online degree programs.
Military.com
Military portal for the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
Financial Aid
Scholarships & financial aid.
Staffing for Government Jobs
Staffing and hiring solutions for federal government agency jobs.
More Monster Partners

Job Hunt Strategy

Six Ways to Make a Recruiter Hate You
If you want to blow your chances with recruiters -- and, by extension, with the companies they work for -- here are six perfect ways to do so.

Resumes & Cover Letters

Rev Up Your Resume to Relocate
Hoping to relocate? Get the ball rolling on landing the right job in the right location with these expert resume and cover letter tips.

Interviewing

100 Potential Interview Questions
Interview questions can run the gamut. You probably won't face all 100 of these, but you should still be prepared to answer at least some of them.

Salary & Benefits

10 Questions to Ask When Negotiating Salary
Most of us aren't natural negotiators, but asking these 10 questions during salary negotiations can help you get everything you deserve.

Employee Sourcing

Alt text
November Monster Employment Index Grows 13% Year-Over-Year, Tenth Consecutive Month of Positive Annual Growth.

For Seekers

Campus and Online Degrees
Advance your career and earn more with an online degree.
Free Salary Wizard
What are you worth? Find out and negotiate a better salary.
Research Careers
Get information on jobs and career paths to help guide your choices
Questions & Answers
Find answers to all your career related questions -- powered by Yahoo! Answers
Resume Distribution Service
Our distribution service puts your resume right in the hands of recruiters.
Resume Writing Services
Our experts will craft a keyword-rich resume that stands out in the crowd.
More Career Resources

For Employers

Career Ad Network
Target your job posting to more candidates on thousands of websites.
Hire Right Background Checks
Explore our background check packages to improve the quality of your hires.
Hiring Home Page
Find the best candidates for your business with Monster hiring solutions.
Job Postings
Find the right solution for your hiring needs. Starting at $99.
Power Resume Search
Monster's new search technology precisely matches people with your jobs.
Resource Center
Find staffing insights, labor trends, HR best practices and more.
Target Post
Connect with skilled, hourly and administrative candidates for only $99.

Social Media

Jobs on Twitter
Find jobs in your area and industry.
Monster Careers
Tune into our career advice and discussions tackling a wide range of topics and industries.
Monster Corporate & PR
Stay up-to-date on the latest news. Get the 'Who', 'What', 'When', and 'Why' on all things Monster related.
Monster Customer Service
Got a Monster question? We've got the answer. Whether you're a job seeker or employer, we can help you find the answers you need.
Monster for Employers
Find advice on hiring.
Follow Us
Check out our many pages and stay connected with the latest industry news, events, career advice and job openings.

Other Links

Advice Forums
Tap into Monster's online career forums and share advice with experts.
Monster Company Profiles
Explore companies and get information to guide your career decisions.
Compare Salaries
See how your pay stacks up to others in your field.
iPhone Application
Download the Monster app for iPhone and iPod touch.
Monster Job Seeker Blog
Monster Job Seeker Blog.
Monster Thinking Blog
Monster's Recruitment Trends Blog.
Jobs & Career Resources
Search Jobs:
For Employers: Post Jobs | Search Resumes | Advertise
About Monster | Work for Monster | Advertise with Us | AdChoices | Partner with Us | Investor Relations | Social Media
Terms of Use | Privacy Center | Accessibility Centre | Help | Security | Contact Us | Sitemap | Mobile
©2013 Monster - All Rights Reserved U.S. Patents No. 5,832,497; 7,599,930 B1; 7,827,125 and 7,836,060 MWW - Looking for Monster Cable? - V: 2013.1.0.21-317
eTrustLogo