BECOME A WORKAPHILE NOT A

WORKAHOLIC
To : Mr.Najeeb By: M.Fayzan.Rafiq
Ahmad (10596)
Objectives of this
presentation
You Will Understand:

• Who are workaholics?

• Two types of workaholism
• Irrational Beliefs of workaholics
• Rational alternatives
• Methods & Techniques for
challenging iBs
• Maintaining your gains
 Introduction
• The word “Workaholic” is a
combination of two words Work and
Alcoholic. This term was originated by
psychologist Richard I. Evans. This
word was widely spread after being
originated in an interview with
Dr.Evans.

• Workaholics: Living with them, working

with them (New American Library,
1980) Marilyn Machlowitz includes
many interesting observations derived
from interviews with scores of
individuals best described as
workaholics.

• Everything in this presentation is based

on this book.
 Who are Workaholics

• Intense
• Goal Driven
• Sleeps only a minimum number of hours each night
• 16 hours working day
• Vacations or time off practically non-existent
• No matter how much they have accomplished its
never enough
• WORKAHOLICS DON’T RETIRE. FOR THEM,
RETIREMENT IS DEATH.

• These description seemed to fit many workaholics,

but not all.
 Workaphile or Workaholic
Compulsive
• Termed as Workaholic
• Highly work-oriented individual.
• Driven by anxiety or a deep sense
of insecurity to totally absorb
themselves in work.
• Slave to a very demanding set
schedule and thus achieve some
degree of escape from inner fears.
• Unhealthy workaholism
• No preference from relaxation
• No participation in any
recreational activity
Non-Compulsive
• Termed as Workaphile.
• Work-oriented individual.
• Don’t use work as a
defense against anxiety or
emotional involvement.
• They actively enjoy working
and the results that comes
from it. Free from all
constraints.
• Healthy kind of
workaholism.
• Strong preference for
relaxation.
• Participate in non-working
involvement and
entertainment.
The major differences

• Attitude towards
work.

• Your core beliefs

about work .

• Meaning you give to

your work and life
itself.
 Irrational Beliefs of Workaholics
and its Rational Alternatives

1st iB of Workaholics:

‘I have to keep working, working all they time at this particular

business and be outstandingly successful to prove I am
worthwhile!’

The belief is that you have no worth unless you have

accomplished is irrational as is the equally silly belief then
because u have accomplished; you then have value as a
person.

‘I prefer to keep working in this particular business but I don’t

have to. I want to be successful and if I am, that will be
rewarding. But if I am not successful, that is unfortunate, but
I can accept my self as fallible human being with worth to
myself whether or not I achieve outstandingly.’
 Irrational Beliefs of
Workaholics and its Rational
Alternatives
2nd iB of Workaholics:

‘It’s awful not to work because I get bored then and I can’t
stand being bored’

The belief is that being bored is the worst possible thing that
could happen to you, but it cannot be proved that you
cannot stand it, you can stand virtually anything until you
collapse.

‘I may get bored for a time when I’m not working or unable to
work but being bored is an inconvenience and not working
is frustrating, but I can stand it even although I’ll never
like being idle.’
 Irrational Beliefs of
Workaholics and its Rational
Alternatives
3rd iB of Workaholics:

‘I’ll have to keep working, working for the rest of my life and
I can never stop and relax or enjoy myself.’

The belief is that you were made specially to work and that
you are incapable of doing anything else.

‘I would like to keep working for the rest of my life because I

find it intrinsically enjoyable, but I don’t have to do so.
There is no reason why I can’t allow myself some relaxation
and enjoy myself in other suitable ways.’
 Methods & Techniques for
challenging iBs:

• To challenge these irrational beliefs you have to

learn some methods & techniques.

• All methods are inter-related.

• There are three methods

• Cognitive methods (totally based on thinking)

• Emotive methods (Do something emotional which
changes thinking)
• Behavioral methods (Changing thinking, feeling and
behaving)
 Cognitive methods

• Referenting:
Make a list of advantages and disadvantages of compulsive
working and then choose whether or not to change.
• Using Rational- Emotive Training with others:
Try to talk other people out of their workaholism, and show
them disadvantages of it. You will tend to strengthen your
own rational convictions.
• Imagining:
Helps build a bridge between intellectually understanding
rational concepts and really becoming convinced of the
non-work activity you imagine to do
• Reframing:
Looking for benefits you can gain from non-work activities
which you previously had missed. Discover through
thinking, experimenting and risk-taking
• Modeling:
Modeling your self on someone who is a confirmed
workaphile! Follow their path.
 Cognitive methods

• Cognitive distraction:
Relaxing through meditation or yoga or other techniques you
could interrupt the constant barrage of workaholic message
flowing through your brain.
• Problem solving:
Using abilities to work quickly and get more time for extra
activities.
• Adopting a philosophy of self acceptance and fallibility:
Accept yourself as a fallible human being who doesn’t have to
prove worth by outstanding achievement. Strive to do the
best rather than be the best.
• A Vital absorbing interest:
Becoming involved in something which really holds your
interest other than work
• Semantic:
Changing your language can help a little to diminish an
obsessive need to be always working. For ex: Don't use the
words like “cant, should, must”
 Emotive methods

• Rational Emotive imagery:

Imagining any non-work activity and letting yourself feel anxious,
upset or disappointed, then try to change your negative feelings
note down those self statement that make you comfortable &
practice self-statements until you feel comfortable imaging
yourself enjoying non-work activities.
• Shame attacking exercise:
It can be a useful way of pushing yourself into doing something you
are irrationally afraid of doing or being seen to do. For ex: You
can go out of your way to tell people that you are a workaholic
and that you have tendency to compulsively work but not feel
ashamed about it.
• Use catchy sayings:
One can often convey a rational message to himself through the
use of a pitchy comment or catchy phrase or saying . You can
remind yourself of that saying by printing it on a small card and
reading it out loud to yourself several times a day.
 Emotive Methods

• Forceful coping statements

Telling yourself that ‘I don’t have to keep working all the
time and I can lead quite a good life and accept myself
without doing the work.’ Taping your irrational ideas
about workaholism and disputing these ideas is the best
way to perform this technique.
• Role Playing
One should play the role of a person enjoying by not working
all the time and trying to persuade your opposite number
who plays a workaholic to agree with your ideas. This
should be taped. If any anxiety is experienced during it
should be identified and disputed until it disappears.
 Behavioral Methods

• In-vivo desensitisation
Forcing yourself to engage in recreational activities or just
relaxing and doing virtually nothing until you get used to it.
Deliberately stay with a group of non-workaholics or people who
are only interested in pleasure
• Form a relationship or join a group
Get into a deep relationship with a person who is not a workaholic
and use that relationship so well that you would be willing to
give up some of your workaholism for the relationship
• Self management methods
You could reward yourself for engaging in recreation and non-
work activities and penalize yourself when you insist on being
too workaholic.
• Skill training
Combat workaholism by getting skill training in some kind of sport
or recreational activity it would take you away from
workaholism.
 Maintain you gains
• If you are falling back to old feelings of anger and
depression, remind yourself and pinpoint exactly
what thoughts, feelings and behavior you once
changed to bring about your improvement.
REHEARSE THOSE ARGUMENTS.
• Remind your self of the three major iBs, forcefully
dispute these iBs.
• Keep risking and doing what you irrationally fear
such as taking decisions which carry no guarantee
of working out as you hoped.
• Try to see clearly the difference between
appropriate negative feelings (sorrow, regret and
disappointment) and inappropriate negative
feelings (depression, anxiety, self-hatred, self-pity
or anger)
• Look for personal pleasures and enjoyments and
other absorbing interests.
• Maintain your emotional health by REBT and
physical health by being a WORKAPHILE!