Workaholism: Praised or the Plague of School Administrators?

The subject of workaholism is somewhat neglected as an area of serious concern by school administrators and policymakers because it is difficult to define and is even considered an asset rather than a liability. In the health profession, workaholism is the best-dressed mental health problem of the leadership and managerial professions. This article will show that workaholism, the addiction to work, is a disease that can inhibit school leadership efforts, ruins promising professional careers, and can be harmful to colleagues as well as immediate family members.

Workaholism is defined as an obsessive-compulsive disorder that manifests itself through self-imposed demands, an inability to regulate work habits, and an overindulgence in work to the exclusion of normal life activities. The term is similar to alcoholism because the two addictions are believed to have common behavior patterns. The four addictions are:

… Progressive in nature,

… An unconscious attempt to resolve unmet psychological needs,

… Can lead to an unmanageable life,

… Cause family disintegration,

… Result in health problems that can lead to anxiety and depression.

Work highs, like alcoholic euphoria, run a cycle of adrenaline-charged work binges that are followed by exhaustion similar to alcoholic hangovers. Workaholism creates health problems, failed marriages, endangered careers and can result in mental health issues with other family members.

Researchers on workaholism have found that workaholics have greater tendencies toward depression, anxiety, and anger. They have feelings of inferiority, fear of failure, an inability to deal with unresolved issues and strong tendencies toward perfection (Haymon, 1993; Machlowitz, 1980).

Workaholism and the Family

The workaholic’s impact on their family is also a major problem. Bryan Robinson (1988) found that spouses and children become extensions of the workaholic’s ego, usually leading to family conflict. Spouses and children feel unloved, lonely, isolated, and emotionally and physically abandoned. Another study found that the workaholic’s children are faced with excessively high demands for achievement. During family conflicts, the workaholic would avoid confrontations by becoming silent.

Workaholics tend to abdicate their role in their children’s development. If they do become involved, it usually is only to check on the child’s progress towards perfection in whatever has been undertaken. Follow-up studies suggest that children of workaholics carry the legacy of the workaholic parent, such as an external sense of control and approval-seeking behavior to meet other adult expectations. Different from the alcoholic with the bottle to blame, the workaholic’s family faces excitement because there is no item to blame.