Is Work Your Drug of Choice? The Hidden Addiction No One Talks About

🚨The Burnout Prevention Blueprint - Click here to access: https://4db9-coach.systeme.io/40bff908-f3ee65e6

 

We often talk about burnout as the result of stress, long hours, or too many deadlines.

 

But what if… it’s deeper than that?

 

What if burnout is fueled by something more hidden—like work addiction masked as productivity, purpose, or even pride?

 

In this episode, I open up about my personal journey from being a high-performing lawyer to a recovered workaholic—and how work became my socially accepted addiction.

 

You’ll discover:

• The subtle signs of work addiction (that most high achievers miss)
• Why we glorify “busy” and how it feeds burnout
• The emotional cost of overworking—and how it impacts your health, relationships, and identity
• What it really means to work hard without harming yourself or those you love
• How to start setting boundaries that actually stick

💡 This is for you if you’ve ever said “I’m fine” when deep down, you know you’re running on empty.

 

📌 Resources Mentioned:

🔹 Burnout Prevention Blueprint: https://4db9-coach.systeme.io/40bff908-f3ee65e6 

🔹 Take the Burnout Quiz: https://c7b9bc05k59.typeform.com/to/sIiXEs8a 

🔹 Join the Life Less Burnt Out Community: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter 

🔹 Work with me 1:1 – Book a Call: https://calendly.com/coach-charlenegisele/strategy-call/ 

 

📲 Connect with Me:

🌍 Website: charlenegisele.com

📸 Instagram: @charlenegisele

💼 LinkedIn: Charlène Gisèle

 

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – What would you want more of—and less of—in your life?

01:00 – The loss of perspective during burnout

02:00 – Firefighting mode: how we glorify urgency

03:45 – My personal experience with work addiction

05:00 – The social validation of “busy” culture

06:15 – When work starts to harm your health and relationships

07:00 – Identity tied to achievement: when success becomes survival

08:30 – Signs of compulsive work behavior

10:00 – Guilt when not working? That’s a red flag

11:00 – Creative work vs. compulsive work: knowing the difference

12:15 – Rebuilding healthy boundaries and protecting what matters

13:00 – Is overworking your escape from something deeper?

14:00 – The ripple effect: work addiction and your relationships

15:00 – Why sustainable success is possible—and necessary