20 questions to find out if you’re a workaholic

• JACQUELYN SMITH
 
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Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesWorking hard isn't the same as workaholism.

Do you get more excited about your work than you do about family or anything else?

If you answered "yes," you might be a workaholic — and that isn't necessarily something to be proud of.

In fact, it's important that you recognize the addiction and get help, because the consequences can be grave.

Michele Schalin, the community outreach coordinator at Workaholics Anonymous, a "fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from workaholism," says workaholism can lead to divorce, suicide, stroke, heart attack, sleep deprivation, damaged relationships with friends and family, "and the list goes on," she tells Business Insider.

To figure out if you're a workaholic, Workaholics Anonymous suggests you ask yourself these 20 questions. Three positive answers are considered an indicator that you may have a problem with workaholism:

1. Do you get more excited about your work than about family or anything else?

2. Are there times when you can charge through your work and other times when you can't?

3. Do you take work with you to bed? On weekends? On vacation? 

4. Is work the activity you like to do best and talk about most? 

5. Do you work more than 40 hours a week? 

6. Do you turn your hobbies into money-making ventures?

7. Do you take complete responsibility for the outcome of your work efforts?

8. Have your family or friends given up expecting you on time?

9. Do you take on extra work because you are concerned that it won't otherwise get done? 

10. Do you underestimate how long a project will take and then rush to complete it?

11. Do you believe that it is okay to work long hours if you love what you are doing?

12. Do you get impatient with people who have other priorities besides work?

13. Are you afraid that if you don't work hard you will lose your job or be a failure?

14. Is the future a constant worry for you even when things are going very well?

15. Do you do things energetically and competitively, including play?

16. Do you get irritated when people ask you to stop doing your work in order to do something else?

17. Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships?

18. Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep, or when others are talking?

19. Do you work or read during meals? 

20. Do you believe that more money will solve the other problems in your life?

Shutterstock/KieferPixWorkaholics tend to be less effective employees.

According to a 2012 article by Ray Williams, author of "Breaking Bad Habits," the number of working hours in North America has steadily risen over the last 20 years.

A 2014 Gallup survey found that 25% of salaried Americans log more than 60 hours per week, on average — and about 50% of them work more than 50 hours.

Williams reports that in Japan, workaholism — known as "karoshi" — is estimated to cause 1,000 deaths per year and nearly 5% of the country's stroke and heart attack deaths in employees under the age of 60, and in the Netherlands, he writes, workaholism has "resulted in a new condition known as 'leisure illness,' estimated to affect 3% of its entire population, according to one study."

7 Words You Should Never Use in an Interview

IMAGE: Getty Images

Most of us get nervous at the thought of being judged for our every word. In theory, a job interview should be a mutually investigative event between a potential employer and a potential employee, each thoroughly and unbiasedly evaluating the other to determine the potential professional fit.

However, most of the time, a job interview boils down to how good of an impression you make on your prospective employer. If you say the right things at the right time, you might land the job regardless of your résumé or skill set. Say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and all your experience might go down the drain. The power of a single word can sometimes sway this critical impression, and if you want to be successful, you'll have to steer clear of some of the worst offenders:

1. Hate. The word hate implies a few things about your character. First, that you carry strong negative feelings with you. Employers want employees who try to find the positive side of things, so even if you do hate something, you can always find a better way to position that sentiment. Second, it shows that you have little tact; an interview is hardly the place to complain about something you don't like, whether that's your previous job or the traffic on the highway you used to get in. Try framing your expression in a more positive light; rather than saying, "I hated my old job," you can say, "At my old job, I felt I wasn't seeing my true potential."

2. No. Throughout your career, you're going to have to say no. In fact, saying no can actually work in your favor when it's used in the right context and protects your interests. But in the context of a job interview, there's never a good reason to say no. For example, imagine the interviewer asks you, "Would you be willing to do x for the company?" If you say no, you could immediately disqualify yourself from consideration. If you mitigate your answer with a "possibly" or a "maybe, depending on," you'll position yourself more positively and keep yourself in the running.

3. Basically. Basically has become an overused filler word, and using it more than once could make your potential employer believe you don't think through your sentences. But even more than that, basically covers up details, which will lead to unwanted speculation. For example, your interviewer asks you what your greatest accomplishment was for your previous company. You reply, "Basically, I helped increase sales by x." That "basically" implies ambiguity. Does it mean you only marginally affected the outcome? Does it mean you were a part of a team that accomplished it? Does it mean that figure is not entirely accurate? These are questions you don't want to raise.

4. Dedicated. The word dedicated has been used in so many interviews that most interviewers can actually feel their blood pressure rise when they hear it. It's a buzzword, plain and simple, and if you truly are dedicated, your work history and upcoming performance should be able to show it. Along these same lines, you might want to also avoid the word motivated.

5. Experience. Experience, like basically, is ambiguous, and cloaks the meaning of whatever it is you're trying to say. For example, if you say something like "I have experience in graphic design," that doesn't exactly mean anything. Instead of vaguely describing your familiarity with a topic, specifically outline your expertise. List the credentials you have, or mention a specific accomplishment. The more detailed you are in describing your actual experience, the better. Don't cop out with a general term.

6. Hard-working. Nobody is going to come to an interview and claim to be lazy. People who want a job are going to describe themselves as "hard-working." Not everyone is going to be able to prove that. Rather than telling your interviewer that you're a hard-working individual, show off how and in what context you work hard. For example, you can tell the story about how you worked through a weekend to create a perfect report, or mention how you haven't taken a sick day in two years.

7. Any filler word. Filler words demonstrate a lack of consideration, and can also make you appear less confident. Whether you mean to or not, injecting an um, uh, or er can damage your credibility and make you appear less capable than you actually are. If you need to think about what you want to say next, don't say anything at all--silence is far more impressive than a stream of unconsciously uttered filler words. This may take some practice, but eliminating them from your vocabulary is a solid long-term move.

It's unlikely that one word will destroy any chance you have at landing a new job. However, if you say too many of these words on top of an already shaky impression, you can kiss your chances of getting hired goodbye. Any edge you can get in an interview is significant, so it's worth your while to perfect your communication skills and eliminate these words from your vocabulary.

Ways to Discover Your Own Meaning of Life

BY RHETT POWER

 

Co-founder, Wild Creations@rhettpower

Why are you here?

Have you discovered your purpose--why you're here, what you're meant to do? How do you know when you have? And why do you need to find it?

Because it's where you find fulfillment and satisfaction. It's what gets you out of bed in the morning and makes time fly. "Your purpose may be to be an incredible parent, teacher, or nurse, or to bring joy to people through the arts," writes well-being authorJames McWhinney. "Your purpose is highly important regardless of the size or scale of reach--every single person has an important role to play."

Some people seem to be born knowing what brings them joy and meaning. Most of us, though, need help figuring it out for ourselves. Here are five questions to get started:

1. What makes me feel happy and alive?

Your purpose is often related to what you love to do. It might--or might not--be connected to your career, or you might find it while volunteering or in your favorite hobby. Think about what you most look forward to and consider how you can expand those activities into more of your life.

2. What am I good at?

Don't be so humble! We all have talents and skills--what are yours? You might have the ability to build things, the patience to be a mentor, or the vision of a leader. You'll find more success in using natural strengths than in trying to get rid of your self-perceived weaknesses.

3. If income didn't matter, what would I be doing?

This question often leads directly to the discovery of your purpose. The answer can point you in the direction of your true happiness. Maybe you work in a large corporation but dream of being an entrepreneur. Don't let yourself get stuck; start taking small steps to reach your goal.

4. How can I add greater value to the world?

5. What will be my legacy?

4 Ways for Any Business Pro to Close the Deal

DEBORAH MITCHELL

Once the meetings are done and all the questions have been answered, the only thing left to do is to close the deal. As an entrepreneur, you are usually bidding against a competitor, and while you might be able to bring the deal to the table, the deal is not done until all the I's are dotted and T's are crossed.

Lets face it: getting a client from the request-for-proposal stage to actually signing on the dotted line can be a stressful and daunting task. But with a few tips, any business person can be a better closer.

For the past decade, New York Times bestselling author and personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox and her husband, Earl, have run the profitable TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC, a financial education business. Lynnette has a few useful ways for any entrepreneur to successfully close a deal:

1. Sweeten the deal.

Closing a deal is sometimes a matter of giving a client an extra incentive to do business with you instead of your competitors. One way to do this is by sweetening the deal -- either at the beginning of the sales process or right near the close when the customer is weighing a purchase or seems to be wavering on finalizing the transaction. 

You can sweeten the deal by throwing in freebies that have high perceived value. Other ways of sweetening a deal include adding support services, ancillary products or one-on-one help that the customer may desire. 

Smart entrepreneurs know what their clients value most -- whether it's cost, quality, performance, convenience or other benefits. Savvy entrepreneurs add sweeteners to help satisfy their customers' wants and needs.

2. Let customers pay how they want.

Many entrepreneurs lose out on snagging paying customers because the business owner is too rigid in the payment process, or they're woefully out of touch with how customers want to pay. 

Depending on your target customers, some clients want to pay using more traditional methods, such as credit cards, checks or cash. But with advancements in digital technology, other clients may prefer to use online or mobile payment methods, such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Wallet.

Those who are open and willing to accept a broader range of payments will diversify their client base, establish or maintain a broader income stream, and close more deals.

Related: Master the Concept of Leverage to Get What You Want in Business and Life

3. Negotiate from a position of strength (not need or greed).

Knowing how hard to negotiate is always tricky for entrepreneurs hungry to close more deals. But just because you're seeking additional revenue doesn't mean you should cave in and drastically slash your prices at the first sign of a price objection. 

It's just as counterproductive to succumb to desperation as it is to fall victim to greediness. As hard as it can be, need and greed shouldn't rule your decision-making during business negotiations. Instead, you should negotiate from a position of strength, based on your unique features, benefits, capabilities or offerings.

When you have a really strong sense of what you and your products or services are worth in the marketplace, don't be afraid to ask for pricing that reflects your value. You'll close deals with the right customers -- and sidestep those who aren't in your sweet spot. 

Too many entrepreneurs sell themselves short in the hunt for new business. That's a big mistake. It's harder to raiser prices later, especially on existing customers. So it's better to set your pricing accurately and accordingly from the get-go, and update prices gradually as necessary or as market conditions change.

4. Offer a (nearly) free trial.

A final way to close a deal is to offer a free (or nearly free) trial offer of the product or service you're selling. Some examples are 30 days of complimentary service, a "no money down" purchase for a piece of equipment or a month-long subscription/trial offer for free or deeply discounted software.

A free or almost free trial can be an easy, low-risk way for a new client to give your offerings a try. So by tempting a customer with an offer that's cost-free, or virtually so, you greatly increase the chance of turning that prospect into a paying client.Once the meetings are done and all the questions have been answered, the only thing left to do is to close the deal. As an entrepreneur, you are usually bidding against a competitor, and while you might be able to bring the deal to the table, the deal is not done until all the I's are dotted and T's are crossed.

Lets face it: getting a client from the request-for-proposal stage to actually signing on the dotted line can be a stressful and daunting task. But with a few tips, any business person can be a better closer.

Related: Close Deals Faster With These 5 Steps

For the past decade, New York Times bestselling author and personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox and her husband, Earl, have run the profitable TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC, a financial education business. Lynnette has a few useful ways for any entrepreneur to successfully close a deal:

1. Sweeten the deal.

Closing a deal is sometimes a matter of giving a client an extra incentive to do business with you instead of your competitors. One way to do this is by sweetening the deal -- either at the beginning of the sales process or right near the close when the customer is weighing a purchase or seems to be wavering on finalizing the transaction. 

You can sweeten the deal by throwing in freebies that have high perceived value. Other ways of sweetening a deal include adding support services, ancillary products or one-on-one help that the customer may desire. 

Smart entrepreneurs know what their clients value most -- whether it's cost, quality, performance, convenience or other benefits. Savvy entrepreneurs add sweeteners to help satisfy their customers' wants and needs.

2. Let customers pay how they want.

Many entrepreneurs lose out on snagging paying customers because the business owner is too rigid in the payment process, or they're woefully out of touch with how customers want to pay. 

Depending on your target customers, some clients want to pay using more traditional methods, such as credit cards, checks or cash. But with advancements in digital technology, other clients may prefer to use online or mobile payment methods, such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Wallet.

Those who are open and willing to accept a broader range of payments will diversify their client base, establish or maintain a broader income stream, and close more deals.

Related: Master the Concept of Leverage to Get What You Want in Business and Life

3. Negotiate from a position of strength (not need or greed).

Knowing how hard to negotiate is always tricky for entrepreneurs hungry to close more deals. But just because you're seeking additional revenue doesn't mean you should cave in and drastically slash your prices at the first sign of a price objection. 

It's just as counterproductive to succumb to desperation as it is to fall victim to greediness. As hard as it can be, need and greed shouldn't rule your decision-making during business negotiations. Instead, you should negotiate from a position of strength, based on your unique features, benefits, capabilities or offerings.

When you have a really strong sense of what you and your products or services are worth in the marketplace, don't be afraid to ask for pricing that reflects your value. You'll close deals with the right customers -- and sidestep those who aren't in your sweet spot. 

Too many entrepreneurs sell themselves short in the hunt for new business. That's a big mistake. It's harder to raiser prices later, especially on existing customers. So it's better to set your pricing accurately and accordingly from the get-go, and update prices gradually as necessary or as market conditions change.

4. Offer a (nearly) free trial.

A final way to close a deal is to offer a free (or nearly free) trial offer of the product or service you're selling. Some examples are 30 days of complimentary service, a "no money down" purchase for a piece of equipment or a month-long subscription/trial offer for free or deeply discounted software.

A free or almost free trial can be an easy, low-risk way for a new client to give your offerings a try. So by tempting a customer with an offer that's cost-free, or virtually so, you greatly increase the chance of turning that prospect into a paying client.Once the meetings are done and all the questions have been answered, the only thing left to do is to close the deal. As an entrepreneur, you are usually bidding against a competitor, and while you might be able to bring the deal to the table, the deal is not done until all the I's are dotted and T's are crossed.

Lets face it: getting a client from the request-for-proposal stage to actually signing on the dotted line can be a stressful and daunting task. But with a few tips, any business person can be a better closer.

For the past decade, New York Times bestselling author and personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox and her husband, Earl, have run the profitable TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC, a financial education business. Lynnette has a few useful ways for any entrepreneur to successfully close a deal:

1. Sweeten the deal.

Closing a deal is sometimes a matter of giving a client an extra incentive to do business with you instead of your competitors. One way to do this is by sweetening the deal -- either at the beginning of the sales process or right near the close when the customer is weighing a purchase or seems to be wavering on finalizing the transaction. 

You can sweeten the deal by throwing in freebies that have high perceived value. Other ways of sweetening a deal include adding support services, ancillary products or one-on-one help that the customer may desire. 

Smart entrepreneurs know what their clients value most -- whether it's cost, quality, performance, convenience or other benefits. Savvy entrepreneurs add sweeteners to help satisfy their customers' wants and needs.

2. Let customers pay how they want.

Many entrepreneurs lose out on snagging paying customers because the business owner is too rigid in the payment process, or they're woefully out of touch with how customers want to pay. 

Depending on your target customers, some clients want to pay using more traditional methods, such as credit cards, checks or cash. But with advancements in digital technology, other clients may prefer to use online or mobile payment methods, such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Wallet.

Those who are open and willing to accept a broader range of payments will diversify their client base, establish or maintain a broader income stream, and close more deals.

3. Negotiate from a position of strength (not need or greed).

Knowing how hard to negotiate is always tricky for entrepreneurs hungry to close more deals. But just because you're seeking additional revenue doesn't mean you should cave in and drastically slash your prices at the first sign of a price objection. 

It's just as counterproductive to succumb to desperation as it is to fall victim to greediness. As hard as it can be, need and greed shouldn't rule your decision-making during business negotiations. Instead, you should negotiate from a position of strength, based on your unique features, benefits, capabilities or offerings.

When you have a really strong sense of what you and your products or services are worth in the marketplace, don't be afraid to ask for pricing that reflects your value. You'll close deals with the right customers -- and sidestep those who aren't in your sweet spot. 

Too many entrepreneurs sell themselves short in the hunt for new business. That's a big mistake. It's harder to raiser prices later, especially on existing customers. So it's better to set your pricing accurately and accordingly from the get-go, and update prices gradually as necessary or as market conditions change.

4. Offer a (nearly) free trial.

A final way to close a deal is to offer a free (or nearly free) trial offer of the product or service you're selling. Some examples are 30 days of complimentary service, a "no money down" purchase for a piece of equipment or a month-long subscription/trial offer for free or deeply discounted software.

A free or almost free trial can be an easy, low-risk way for a new client to give your offerings a try. So by tempting a customer with an offer that's cost-free, or virtually so, you greatly increase the chance of turning that prospect into a paying client.

After studying 500 millionaires, a journalist noticed one characteristic they all had in common

 KATHLEEN ELKINS 

After studying over 500 millionaires, including Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, and Charles Schwab, journalist and author Napoleon Hill found that they shared a single quality: decisiveness.

"Analysis of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes well beyond the million dollar mark disclosed the fact that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly," Hill wrote in his 1937 classic, "Think and Grow Rich."

In addition to making decisions quickly and confidently, they also change decisions, if and when needed to, slowly, Hill noted. On the flip side, "People who fail to accumulate money, without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, if at all, very slowly, and of changing these decisions quickly and often."

Decisiveness plays such an important role in accumulating wealth that mastery of procrastination — which Hill defined as the opposite of decisiveness — is the seventh of his 13 steps toward getting rich.

To become a better decision-maker, start by focusing on your listening skills, Hill explained:

Keep your eyes and ears wide open — and your mouth closed — if you wish to acquire the habit of prompt decisions. Those who talk too much do little else. If you talk more than you listen, you not only deprive yourself of many opportunities to accumulate useful knowledge, but you also disclose your plans and purposes to people who will take great delight in defeating you, because they envy you.

Your actions count more than your words. "Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it," Hill wrote.

If you do master this quality, it can reap incredible rewards, Hill observed: "Those who reach decisions promptly and definitely know what they want, and generally get it ... The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going."

Since Hill's time, others have pinpointed qualities and habits shared among people who make millions, such as rising early, exercising regularly, making the time to read, and associating with others who are successful.

Interested in Film Making? Register for “Class of 5 Indie Film Making Masterclass 2015″ | Monday 6th July 2015 – Monday 3rd August 2015

Class of 5 is an educational, arts and capacity building initiative developed byKorede Taiwo, founder and CEO of Intersection Media Limited. head moderator for the Class of 5 series.

The Film Making Masterclass 2.0 is the sixth class being taught in the series. It is a comprehensive course that will equip all participants with key first class understanding in the filmmaking production process.

In this course, you will learn to shoot videos (understand the tricks and shortcuts to getting amazing shots), edit (understand the interfaces employed at the beginning of the post-production) and grade (understand applications for TV and different genres of film).

This edition will be moderated by Korexcalibur, Kassim Braimoh and Jide Makinde. The moderators are young, indigenous and noted professionals in the media and videography industry in Nigeria, and are passionate about the industry and establishing a standard of excellence in it.

Date: Monday 6th July 2015 – Monday 3rd August 2015
Time: 5 PM – 6 PM
Contact: For more info and general enquiries, call 07036968558, e-mail otare.e@googlemail.com
Registration Fee: N50,000
Contact: For registration, sponsorship, and general inquiries contact 07036968558 | e-mail otare.e@googlemail.com‎ | Twitter (@korexcalibur @fluis10) Instagram (@korexcalibur @fluis7)

Iron your clothes now without worrying about Nepa! Nigerian Ayokunle Adeniran Invents the Gas-Powered Pressing Iron

A few weeks ago, the Internet was buzzing with photos of what was tagged the ‘Nepaless Iron’. It was very intriguing, and as you can imagine, we wanted to get in behind the story.

The ‘Nepaless Iron’ is actually called the ‘Iron Rhino’ and is the innovative brain child of a Nigerian Engineer, Ayokunle Adeniran. A graduate of Covenant University, ‘Sean’ as he is fondly called by his friends, works as a mechanical design engineer in the United States, and has found a way around having to wait for the ‘NEPA’ before getting nicely pressed outfits.

The Iron Rhino is a gas powered device which is portable and easy to use.BellaNaija, in a chat with Ayokunle, finds out about te inspiration behind the invention, and how soon we should expect to see the product on our shelves.

***
Please tell us about yourself
As a kid I spent most of my growing up years in Ekiti and Ondo states. Later on during my teenage years, I moved to Lagos where I attended secondary school. I love to play soccer, video games and hangout with friends. My favorite games are Fifa, Call of duty and ping pong on Nintendo Wii. I love social networking, most times I’m on instagram liking posts and drawing positive inspirations where possible. In 2004, I gained admission to studied Mechanical Engineering at Covenant University, I graduated in 2009. All through my childhood days, I was always passionate about engineering and creativity, I made my own toys from materials around the house. I remember the period after completion of my secondary school, I started making toy cars which I sold to kids in my neighborhood.

What do you do?
Presently, I’m a Mechanical design engineer in United states. I’m experienced in design of elevator components and recently moved towards consumer products.

Can you describe an average day in your life?
An average day in my life consists of me waking up at 6:45am, doing my morning essentials and heading to work by 7:45am. I work from 8:00am to 4:30pm and head back home, then I pick up personal projects from 5:30pm till 8:30pm. After that, I watch T.V. shows which I mostly sleep off on while watching.

Tell us about the Iron Rhino
The Iron Rhino is a product I designed in response to the inability of people to iron their clothes due to electrical power outages. It is a butane gas powered pressing iron, meaning it does not require electricity to function. It looks very similar to and functions like existing electric irons. The butane comes in canisters that retail for about N120 and can last for 1 week usage at 20 minutes daily ironing.

What inspired you to create the Iron Rhino?
My inspiration came from disappointment. One day, I needed to meet up with my dad at the airport, and the clothing I wanted to wear was rumpled, I was unhappy and had to wear something else. This disappointment brought about the spark of creativity in my head so I decided to proceed with the idea of having an alternative source of powering clothes iron

How long did it take for you to complete the first prototype?
It took about 2 years to complete the first prototype during which the patent had to be filed and the processing took about 4 years.

How user friendly would you say the Iron Rhino is?
Rhino is very user friendly because the design was built around user ergonomics, while safety was not compromised. The iron functions at most habitable environmental conditions making it very reliable.

The Iron Rhino is going to be powered by little gas canisters. Can you tell us about the accessibility of these canisters to the consumer?
The canisters presently are being manufactured by a Chinese company, but provisions are being made to have them produced locally by a Nigerian company. The projected production rate is calculated to serve all functioning irons abundantly, also a recycling process of the canisters will mean users can get discounts on recycled canisters.

Are the canisters going to be locally produced?
Yes, eventually in future.

What would you say is your biggest challenge as an inventor
My biggest challenge as an inventor is funding of projects as we all know research and development process is often very expensive.

Do you have an idea of how much each Iron Rhino will retail at?
With the present low volume production rate, it is projected to retail for N5,000 per piece, but in future with higher production rate, prices will drop based on economies of scale.

What’s the most exciting part of this project so far?
The most exciting part of this project is the reception it got from people. I’d like to appreciate all those who shared the posts and created awareness of it.

So what is the next step for the Iron Rhino now?
The next step is fund raising through rsvp.com.ng for #IronRhino mass production. With mass production, the retail prices will be lower and will be affordable for most people.

Thank you very much for sharing your story with us, Ayokunle. We really wish you the best with the project and we can’t wait to see it in its final roll out stage.