If you're addicted to checking your email and regularly work through evenings, weekends and vacations, you might be a workaholic -- and your health may be suffering because of it. Recent research has found a link between workaholism and reduced physical and mental well-being.
The Kansas State University study, which will be published in the journal Financial Planning Review, found that well-being is generally not a priority for workaholics.
"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,"doctoral researcher, Sarah Asebedo, said in a statement. "Also, we found that workaholism was associated with reduced mental well-being as measured by a self-reported depression score."
To figure out why some choose to work overtime even when they know it's not good for health, the researchers turned to a mathematical analysis called Becker's Theory of the Allocation of Time, which helps to measure the cost of time. The theory highlights the paradox that working overtime leads to more income, but less time to spend this income. it also suggests that as income increases, workers are more likely to develop unhealthy habits around working excessively.