How to Work With A Workaholic Colleague

workaholic colleague

Dealing with a workaholic colleague? In the legal profession, they are rampant and working in law can turn you into one if you’re not careful. But how do you deal with a workaholic colleague? The one who sends an all-hands email at 3AM that makes it clear that they are in the office. Or the one who tells you that they’ll “turn off the lights” when they see you leaving for the day. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with them and to maintain your sanity and productivity at the same time. If you don’t learn how to handle these types, you may eventually fall victim to a toxic work culture and your productivity will plummet. Law is the only profession with an industry trying to help people quit their jobs, and the workaholism prevalent in many organizations leads many to head for the exits.

“Your colleague is the first one in and the last one to leave. They volunteer to take on every additional task that comes your team’s way and they respond to emails within minutes. They’re working all the time, whether from the office or from home. In short? You’re dealing with a workaholic. While it’s tough reporting to a workaholic boss, having a hard-driving peer who seems married to the job can be equally frustrating. If you’ve ever had a workaholic colleague, then 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. The workaholic’s behavior isn’t just annoying — it can be downright damaging and affect your well-being for the worst, not only increasing your chances for burnout, but also reducing your creativity, productivity, and job satisfaction.”

Source: How to Work with a Workaholic Colleague at Harvard Business Review