Polish researchers differentiate workaholism from healthy work engagement

Workaholism, a compulsive over‑investment in work that harms personal life and health, affects an estimated 10‑25 % of employed adults in Poland. Symptoms include chronic fatigue, anxiety about downtime, obsessive checking of emails, and strained family relationships. Long‑term risks range from heart disease to depression, and treatment options such as cognitive‑behavioural therapy and coaching focus on restoring work‑life balance.

A study by psychologists at the Jagiellonian University examined how motivation separates workaholism from genuine work engagement. Researchers identified four motivational domains—energy regulation, goal alignment, personal values, and emotional regulation—that influence whether long hours stem from internal compulsion and guilt (workaholism) or from satisfaction and purpose (engagement). The findings, published in *Psychological Reports*, highlight that healthy engagement allows rest and regeneration, whereas workaholism creates persistent tension and a sense that personal worth depends on work performance.