In our newest contemporary romance novel, Picture Imperfect, the female lead Caroline could be defined as a workaholic. But how can you tell if someone is a workaholic—including yourself?
“Workaholism” doesn’t just mean that someone works a lot. We all have to work long hours sometimes. Instead, workaholism refers to a work addiction.
Researchers from the Department of Psychosocial Science at the University of Bergen have come up with the following seven criteria that may be signs of workaholism:
- You think of how you can free up more time to work.
- You spend much more time working than initially intended.
- You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and/or depression.
- You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them.
- You become stressed if you are prohibited from working.
- You deprioritize hobbies, leisure activities, and/or exercise because of your work.
- You work so much that it has negatively influenced your health.
If you answer “often” or “always” to any of the above, according to the scale, you may be a workaholic.
I think we can ask a few other questions as well:
Does my work give me worth? Is work more important than other people? Am I more worried what my boss thinks than what God thinks? Am I compromising my morals to achieve? Is my identity in my job more important than my identity in Christ?
Even though workaholics are often extremely energetic, such intense activity and stress can’t last forever. Eventually, workaholics break down.
That’s what happens to Caroline in our book. Eventually, things begin to fall apart in her quest to prove herself. With the help of God, friends, and a handsome illustrator named Andy, will she be able to find a new way to live?
Caroline’s struggle hits close to home. I’m still recovering as a workaholic, overcoming the guilt that plagues me whenever I’m not working. I have to be intentional about spending time with friends and family or engaging in hobbies. I’m not as “productive” as I once was, but I’m learning to remember my worth comes from a God who loves me.
If you think you might be suffering from workaholism, it’s a good idea to talk to a counselor or other professional. But in the meantime, we hope this book will help others struggling with work addiction to find our identity in Christ.
“It doesn’t matter if five people read it or five million … if you’re doing what God has placed on your heart … you’re a success.” – Picture Imperfect by Alyssa Roat & Hope Bolinger
Alyssa Roat grew up in Tucson, Arizona, but her heart is in Great Britain. She has worked in a wide variety of roles within the publishing industry as an agent, editor, writer, and marketer. She is the publicity manager at Mountain Brook Ink and Mountain Brook Fire, a former associate literary agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, an editor with Sherpa Editing Services, and a freelance writer with 250+ bylines in local, national, and international publications.
Alyssa is the co-author with Hope Bolinger of the upcoming Roseville Romances series. Her name is a pun, which means you can learn more about her at www.alyssawrote.com or on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as @alyssawrote.
Can a struggling career woman and a procrastinating artist save a beloved nonprofit?
Aspiring novelist Caroline Penn expected a promotion, not a picture book assignment. But when her employer, the non-profit Helping Hope, runs into financial trouble, this book might be the solution. With the company struggling to stay afloat, she and the illustrator will need to collaborate on a strict deadline—no problem for a workaholic like Caroline, right?
Andy Jackson, a “starving” artist, pays the bills by taking on graphic design gigs, but his perfectionism gets in the way. If only he could focus on a project for once, perhaps he could achieve his dream to make art for children for a living.
When the two are thrust together to create a book, Caroline can’t seem to write for children, and Andy can’t meet a deadline to save his life. As time ticks down to release day, the two must face their pasts and insecurities. If they can avoid strangling one another for long enough, they may just bring to the table what the other is missing.
If not, the fate of their careers—and a beloved nonprofit—hangs in the balance.
