Career Enmeshment Test: Is your personal identity consumed by your work?

Is your personal identity defined by your career?

If so, you may be at risk of “enmeshment” with your work — a blurring of the boundaries of who you are, preventing you from developing a stable, independent sense of self. This can lead to issues such as strained relationships, anxiety, substance abuse, and depression.

To learn whether you may be suffering from enmeshment, reflect on the following questions and how they apply to your life.

To learn more about how your personal identity can become enmeshed with your career, read Dr. Koretz’s recent article in Harvard Business Review.

Work Enmeshment Questions

When people ask me to describe myself or my interests, it is hard for me to think of things other than work.

Because of work, I miss out on things I’d like to participate in. (e.g., hobbies, social events, family gatherings).

My mood or sense of self-worth is heavily influenced by my achievements or challenges at work.

I often feel guilty about how I spend my time, whether at work or not.

I find it hard to have conversations about myself that don’t revolve around my job or work-related topics.

I prefer to spend time outside of work on professionally-related activities vs. hobbies unrelated to my job.

People close to me have expressed concern or complained about the amount of time I dedicate to work.

Outside of standard work hours in my profession, I spend the majority of my time either working or thinking about work.

I struggle to switch off from work-mode during my leisure time, and often find my mind drifting back to work-related tasks or problems.

I feel anxious or uncomfortable when I am not able to work or check my work communications (e.g., email, messages).

I have often neglected my physical or mental health due to work demands.

Losing my job would cause me to doubt my identity and life's purpose.

I find it upsetting or anxiety-provoking to take time off from work (e.g., vacation, sick time).

Career Enmeshment Test Career enmeshment goes beyond the classic “workaholic” stereotype and can lead to serious identity-related mental health issues. Dedicate three minutes to our enmeshment self-assessment to learn whether you are at risk of becoming enmeshed with your work.

Is your personal identity defined by your career?

Work Enmeshment Questions

Career Enmeshment Test
Career enmeshment goes beyond the classic “workaholic” stereotype and can lead to serious identity-related mental health issues. Dedicate three minutes to our enmeshment self-assessment to learn whether you are at risk of becoming enmeshed with your work.