New test to prove whether you are a 'workaholic'
LONDON - A new test devised by psychologists could now determine once and for all whether you are officially addicted to work.
In a world of long hours, instant access to emails and fierce competition in the office, there is a fine line between being a keen employee and a workaholic.
But research, by scientists at the Nottingham Trent University and the University of Bergen, has now tested 12,000 workers to find out the key elements of "workaholism".
The study, the first of its kind in the world, also found that work addiction was getting "worse" and blamed the blurring of boundaries between the home and office making it harder to "switch off".
The Daily Telegraph reported that the questions come in the form of statements which participants must answer on a sliding scale of 1, to represent "never", 2 meaning "rarely", 3 meaning "sometimes, 4 for "often" and 5, representing "always".
They include "You think of how you can free up more time to work"; "You spend much more time working than initially intended"; and "You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and depression".
Other potentially revealing statements are: "You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them"; "You become stressed if you are prohibited from working"; "You deprioritise hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work"; and "You work so much that it has negatively influenced your health."
Those who score a 4 or 5 on four or more of the seven questions may be considered workaholics.
The results of the study, led by Dr Cecilie Schou Andreassen, have now been published in the Journal of Psychology.
It is yet to be determined whether those who truly are classed as "workaholics" will have the time to consider completing such surveys. AGENCIES
In a world of long hours, instant access to emails and fierce competition in the office, there is a fine line between being a keen employee and a workaholic.
But research, by scientists at the Nottingham Trent University and the University of Bergen, has now tested 12,000 workers to find out the key elements of "workaholism".
The study, the first of its kind in the world, also found that work addiction was getting "worse" and blamed the blurring of boundaries between the home and office making it harder to "switch off".
The Daily Telegraph reported that the questions come in the form of statements which participants must answer on a sliding scale of 1, to represent "never", 2 meaning "rarely", 3 meaning "sometimes, 4 for "often" and 5, representing "always".
They include "You think of how you can free up more time to work"; "You spend much more time working than initially intended"; and "You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and depression".
Other potentially revealing statements are: "You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them"; "You become stressed if you are prohibited from working"; "You deprioritise hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work"; and "You work so much that it has negatively influenced your health."
Those who score a 4 or 5 on four or more of the seven questions may be considered workaholics.
The results of the study, led by Dr Cecilie Schou Andreassen, have now been published in the Journal of Psychology.
It is yet to be determined whether those who truly are classed as "workaholics" will have the time to consider completing such surveys. AGENCIES
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