Are you a workaholic?

Are you addicted to working whenever, wherever? If you’re not sure, researchers from Norway and the UK have developed the first work addiction test.

The Bergen Work Addiction Scale uses seven basic criteria to identify work addiction. Each criteria measures the level of addiction – from not addicted, to mildly addicted to workaholic. Workers are asked whether they never, rarely, sometimes, often or always do any of the following:

– Think of how they can free up more time to work.
– Spend much more time working than initially intended.
– Work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and depression.
– Have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them.
– Become stressed if they are prohibited from working.
– Deprioritise hobbies and leisure activities because of work.
– Work so much that it has negatively influenced their health.

If they say “often” or “always” on at least four of the questions they could be a workaholic.

Lead researcher Cecilie Schou Andreassen from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bergen says new technology like smart phones is blurring the boundaries between work and private life and that this has led to an increase in work addiction. Research suggests work addiction can lead to health problems, insomnia and burnout.

The study was published in a recent issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology.

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