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Working with a workaholic colleague can be challenging. You know how infectious the secondhand stress can be: since they’re putting in overtime, you feel compelled to do the same. Their urgency and ultra-responsiveness create more tasks and replies for you to deal with. And their behavior can be downright damaging to your well-being. In this article, we will outline four steps you can take to mitigate the negative effects of their behavior on yourself and your team:
Depersonalize their actions
When dealing with a workaholic colleague, it’s important to depersonalize their actions. It’s tempting to assume that they are overworking to outshine you, but this is a classic example of cognitive bias known as the fundamental attribution error. Rather than attributing their behavior to their character or personality, consider other reasons for their actions. Perhaps they are going through something personally and using work as an escape, or maybe they are reacting to a past workplace trauma. By depersonalizing their actions, you can have a more empathetic and understanding approach.
Avoid glorifying the behavior
It’s crucial to avoid glorifying the behavior of a workaholic colleague. If you know that they stayed up all night working on a presentation, resist the urge to compliment their sacrifice. Praising their overworking only reinforces their workaholic mentality. Similarly, when they complain about being swamped with work, don’t affirm them by saying they have gone the extra mile. Instead, pay attention to your own behavior and ensure that you are not enabling their workaholic ways. Model a healthy work-life balance and prioritize self-care.
Resist peer pressure
Guilt and peer pressure can make you susceptible to falling into the same patterns as your workaholic colleague. It’s important to resist the urge to compare your capacity and output to theirs and question whether you are working hard enough. Remember that taking time off for self-care is not indulgent but necessary for your performance. If your colleague passive-aggressively snipes at you for not working as much as they do, respond confidently by explaining the benefits of not buying into the idea that constant hustling is better. Stay true to your own boundaries and prioritize your well-being.
Set boundaries
Workaholics often have few boundaries and struggle to say no to requests. To manage the negative effects of their behavior, you need to set your own boundaries. Clearly communicate your availability and response times to your colleague. If they ask for a project brief with an unrealistic deadline, push back and explain that you need more time to work it into your schedule. Advocate for better systems and processes that eliminate the need for excessive effort. When setting boundaries, expect some resistance from your colleague, but stand your ground and enforce consequences if necessary.
Finally, it’s important to adjust your perspective on productivity. Instead of gauging your success based on the number of hours you work, focus on the quality of your work. Being good at your job doesn’t mean working more; it means producing meaningful results. By managing workaholic tendencies, you can create a healthier work environment for yourself and your team. Remember to prioritize your well-being and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
