The Workaholic Test: Hidden Signs You're Trapped (And How to Get Out)

Do you feel guilty for taking breaks? Put work ahead of your relationships? Ignore your health in the name of productivity? You might be stuck in workaholic mode without even realising it! Meet your new BIZ hosts: Lisa Lie (former Head of People & Culture who worked herself into burnout twice in one year) and Em Vernem (Associate Editor at Mamamia who discovered that giving 80% at work prevents the burnout that comes from constantly operating at 100%). They've been trapped in the cycle, escaped it, and now they're exposing the workaholic trap that's keeping high-achievers burning out—even when they love what they do. You'll learn: The signs you're already caught in the cycle Where workaholic tendencies actually come from (hint: it's not what you think) How the workaholic trap sabotages your daily life without you noticing Why that promotion might be making everything worse PLUS we take the University of Bergen's 7-point Workaholism Test (finally, a way to tell the difference between working hard and working too hard), and chat the exact steps Lisa took to escape the workaholic cycle for good! Resources That Actually Work: Jane Martino , Co-Founder of Smiling Mind and Coach at Kintsugi Way Mamamia's Well Burnout Episode: Is It Burnout Or Am I Just Really Tired? 7 Signs You May Be A Workaholic The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide To Personal Freedom'by Don Miguel Ruiz Less Hustle, More Happy by Claire Seeber Our new BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia's Em Vernem . Learna is Lisa's microlearning app for practical people skills at work. Expert-led lessons to build confidence, solve challenges, and work smarter - in under 7 minutes. Get it on Apple or Google Play . Sign up to the BIZ newsletter here THE END BITS Support independent women's media . Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon! HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem SENIOR PRODUCER: Sophie Campbell AUDIO PRODUCER: Leah Porges Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Become a Mamamia subscriber:

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The Workaholic Test: Hidden Signs You're Trapped (And How to Get Out) is an episode from Lady Startup by Mamamia Podcasts.

This episode is 28:50 long.

This episode was published on Oct 22, 2025.

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