Office life: Are you a work addict?
For a long time this was a very masculine issue, but work addiction is affecting more and more women – who often recognise their dependence only when it’s too late.
The work addict never stops. Her job devours her time, energy and her thoughts. Her mobile phone is fixed to her ear and she constantly checks for incoming emails – incapable of relaxing. “The compulsive worker doesn’t even see why she should take time for herself”, explains Marc Dumas, researcher in human resources. “She pressurizes herself.” She always has good reasons though: the 11 pm message from a customer requiring an answer or the file to complete for Monday. The work becomes less of a necessity than a need; a type of bulimia that affects mainly the upper and middle classes.
What is the standard profile of a work addict? A 38 year-old woman, in a relationship, with children. Of course, there are various degrees to this addiction that has been established by Bryan Robinson, author of the Work Addiction Risk Test (WART). But this disorder arises from the same combination: external factors – company pressure, new technologies that blur the lines between personal and professional life; and internal factors where the role is essential. According to Isabelle Varescon, psychologist, the addiction, which is largely psychological, comes from “functions it fulfills and the effects it procures”. This non-substance addiction gives the impression of being super intelligent, high-powered, invincible and essential.
The work addict denies her dependence, especially as she is socially valued. But by allowing oneself be devoured by work, the body can break under stress and tiredness, resulting in insomnia, lumbago or burn out. When it is not the brain that suffers, it is the family or the couple. The idea is not to give up everything and withdraw, but to analyse your way of functioning and modify your working methods.
Marie Le Marois
Read more testimonies from our ‘Are you a workaholic?’ report:
Gabrielle: “It was as exhilarating as dope.”
Elodie: “I thought suicide was the only exit”
Brigitte: “Today, I maintain my involvement, but without forgetting myself.”
