By Lynn Elsey ǀ 1 May 2018

The difference may mean a lot to your health. According to research from a team of prominent management specialists, being a workaholic is bad for your health but working long hours isn’t.

The research by professors at Simon Fraser University, the Wharton School and the University of North Carolina, found that the number of hours people worked was not related to any health issues. However, workaholism – which they defined as a compulsion or addiction to work – was. Regardless of how many hours they work, workaholics have more health issues and a higher risk for developing cardiovascular diseases than other, non-compulsive, workers

On the plus side, the study found that workaholics who enjoy their job have less health issues that those who don’t. The authors caution that in their study the maximum number of hours worked was 65 hours a week; working longer hours on a regular basis may have different outcomes.

The researchers suggest the following tips for managing the negative effects of workaholism:

• Acknowledge that your behaviour is unhealthy when it impacts relationships and feels out of control. Try managing it by setting rules for the hours you will work each day.


• Engage in non-work activities you enjoy to help you detach from work.


• Try and understand why you are obsessed with work. The researchers found that those who loved their jobs were more likely to be motivated by intrinsic rewards. Workers who were less engaged with work were often driven by extrinsic motivations, including money and status.