Well-being is not a priority for workaholics, or people who overwork on a regular basis, according to new research.
Could workplace, or on-site, massage—healthy touch taken into corporate settings—help workaholics get in better touch with their own health?
“We looked at the association between workaholism and physical and mental well-being,” Sarah Asebedo, doctoral student in personal financial planning and conflict resolution, Edina, Minn., said. “We found workaholics—defined by those working more than 50 hours per week—were more likely to have reduced physical well-being, measured by skipped meals. Also, we found that workaholism was associated with reduced mental well-being as measured by a self-reported depression score.”
As a full-time wealth manager for Accredited Investors in Edina, Asebedo has found the research useful in counseling clients. She advises workaholics to be aware of the effect excessive work has on their physical and mental well-being and to be prepared for what they can do to mitigate or counteract the effects during busy work periods.
Asebedo conducted a study using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. She and her colleagues found a preliminary link between workaholics and reduced physical and mental well-being. The study, “Workaholism and Well-Being,” appeared Financial Services Review, a journal of individual financial management.