Must-haves to help you get past being an ‘unhappy workaholic’

What type of workaholic are you?

According to the study "Beyond Nine to Five: Is Working to Excess Bad for Health?" there are two types of workaholics: the happy and the unhappy. After conducting a survey among nearly 800 employees, the researchers found that a significant distinction lies between the ones who spent long hours at work and did not switch off from it, and those who worked long hours but were able to take a break overnight. 

“Workaholics who were not engaged with their jobs did show signs of increasingly poor health in terms of metabolic syndrome,” as explained in the study. “However, workaholics who reported being highly engaged and fulfilled in their jobs stayed healthy.”

For the latter, it “didn’t matter that they put in long hours, drove themselves to work very hard, and thought about their job all the time.” 

After looking into the psychological process, Wharton management professor Nancy Rothbard highlighted in the findings that outlook and mindset can impact one’s body in more ways than one. For engaged or "happy" workaholics, attending various meetings during the day or working on something until 3 in the morning may not ruin their health if they love what they’re doing. “Instead, it may be what helps keep you going,” the report stated. 

If you think you’re the opposite, here’s a helpful tip from Rothbard: “Make sure you do build in the time for recovery and that you maintain some balance and draw on the sources of support that you have.” Below are some wellness stores that can help you do just that:

There’s nothing like a good massage to end a tiring workday. While you can’t go to your favorite spa like you used to in the pre-COVID world, there are new shops like VIP Wellness that offer the same relaxing experience in the comfort of your own home. Among its services are luxury hot stone whole body massage (P950/P1,200), Swedish massage (P500/P600/P700), and dry massage (P700/P950/P1,200). There’s also a kiddie massage that can last for 30 minutes, priced at P300.

Want to feel more connected to your heart and the universe? Online shop 5D Healing Crystals is offering natural, authentic, and curated crystals ranging from P500 to as high as P90,000. “Every piece is cleaned and charged with solfeggio frequencies,” the store said.

If you feel most delighted in a scented, candle-lit room, Scent Central PH could be your go-to. It’s selling soy wax candles such as Sleep Tight and Recharge made with calming properties, starting at P280.

Essential oils are known to be an important part of self-care, relaxation, and more. Pili Ani is offering a myriad of options for that, such as Stress Away and Sweet Dreams (P280-P390) that can both help you get a good night's sleep.