In our productivity-obsessed, always-on world it’s easy for busyness to become a badge of honor. But sometimes that effort-ing transforms from the reasonable pursuit of our goals into workaholism: a compulsive, even addictive drive to work.
On this episode, Forrest and Dr. Rick explore what workaholism is really, the psychological functions it serves, and how it relates to other addictive behaviors. You’ll learn both how to approach changing behaviors like workaholism in general and specific interventions that can help.
Key Topics:
- 0:00: Introduction
- 2:20: Differentiating workaholism from working hard
- 9:40: Preempting criticism, and your internal audience
- 17:10: Competence, approval seeking, and motives
- 23:50: Addiction without social stigma
- 28:40: Population groups more prone to workaholism
- 33:50: The stages of change
- 37:45: Moving to the wider view, craving and regret
- 40:55: Embodying your future self, and social support
- 43:10: Identity, and creating a coherent narrative
- 46:00: Underlying feelings, mindfulness, and making choices
- 49:20: Distinguishing being and becoming
- 52:25: Tracking your time, and scheduling time off
- 54:50: Giving others influence over your behavior
- 56:20: Rick’s personal experience navigating a healthy work ethic
- 1:01:20: Recap
