Managing a Workaholic Boss

Dealing with a workaholic boss can be stressful, especially if he expects you to mimic his work style by sacrificing lunchtimes, working insane hours and giving up weekends. Workaholic bosses also tend to micromanage employees, as they usually have a difficult time trusting staff members to get jobs done correctly and on time. If your workaholic boss is driving you crazy, don't throw in the towel just yet. The following are some tips to help.

Communicate Your Needs

If your workaholic boss makes it impossible for you to maintain a healthy work-life balance, you must speak up. Schedule a meeting with your boss, and prepare for the meeting in advance to avoid wasting his time. Before the meeting, collect data on the amount of time you spent working on projects, and make a note of the amount of hours you spent working on holidays and weekends. Let your boss know you're on the verge of experiencing burnout, and ask him to help you establish daily, weekly and monthly work objectives. Most bosses are open to setting work goals, especially if you supply details about your daily progress and accomplishments. It's also important to create a list of boundaries to share with your boss, such as working no more than one weekend per month or two holidays per year.

Stick to Your Guns

After speaking with your boss and setting boundaries, stick to your guns. Remind your boss about the boundaries you set for yourself, and let him know that sticking to your schedule allowed you to greatly reduce work stress. Your boss might not like it when you say "no," but if you're a true asset to his team, he'll likely continue working with you professionally. It's also a good idea to shut off your office phone and shut down your work email after leaving the office for the night. Don't make it easy for your boss to contact you when you're off the clock.

Maximize Your Productivity While Working

During work hours, it is important to perform at an exceptional level. Impress your boss by making the most of each workday. Make sure you arrive to work on time, and don't waste valuable minutes searching through personal emails, surfing the Internet or socializing casually with colleagues. Get to work right away, and stay focused throughout the workday.

Don't Take It Personal

Don't take your workaholic boss's behavior personally, as his desire to work all the time may be the result of learned behavior. It is also possible your boss might have to answer to someone who is extremely demanding. He also might not relate to your desire to have a better work-life balance, but that's okay. Just be sure to stick to your agreement, and make sure the work you submit to your boss is always of exceptional quality.

While it's important to perform at an exceptional level and maintain a positive relationship with your boss, it's also important to let him know when you can't work due to prior plans or just need time to relax. Place limits on when your workaholic boss can contact you for work-related tasks, and don't hesitate to develop newer and more efficient ways to manage projects, as this can help you and your boss reduce work stress.

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