Malissa Clark, an assistant professor of psychology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted in ABC Life about workaholism.
The key difference between someone who works very hard and someone who is a workaholic is motivation. If someone is working hard because he loves his work, then that’s work engagement. If someone is working hard because he feels like he ought to be, that’s workaholism. Workaholism is related to negative outcomes for individuals, their families and their wellbeing.
Workaholism is “an inner compulsion to work that makes someone feel they always ‘should be’ working,” said Clark, who is in the industrial-organizational program in the psychology department. “This involves feeling anxious or guilty when not working, having consistent thoughts about work and working long hours.”
