"Happy Hour" All Day? Drinking While Working at Home

One in eight of all full-time workers in the United States now perform their jobs entirely remotely. This is five times the pre-pandemic rate. For professionals whose jobs don't need them to be on-site every day, the numbers are even higher. Most white-collar jobs offer at least a hybrid option of working at home one or two days per week.

Much of this is good news for people who have the ability to work at home for at least part of the week. According to Stanford scholar Nicholas Bloom, working from home can enhance overall job satisfaction—as reflected by a 35 percent reduction in job quitting rates. People working from home are engaging in more outdoor recreation, including playing more golf, which increased by more than 50 percent since 2019, especially on weekdays. But, it's not all good news for people who have an issue with problem drinking.

Working From Home Can Lead to Greater Alcohol Consumption

Remote work, for some people, is accompanied by a substantial increase in alcohol consumption. During the COVID pandemic, more than a third of Americans reported consuming more alcohol while working at home than was previously the case. While the lockdowns and imposed isolations are over (we hope), those who continue to work from home at least two days per week report higher levels of alcohol consumption than people who do not work from home at all. Studies also indicate that:

• The sharpest spikes in alcohol intake are seen in younger adults working from home.
• Executives and others in managerial positions report higher levels of alcohol consumption than front-line staff members.
• Professionals with higher levels of education report higher levels of alcohol consumption than less educated people—possibly because their jobs are more conducive to being done remotely.

A number of factors contribute to a rise in problem drinking among people working at home. These factors include blurred boundaries, reduced fear of detection, convenience, and availability.

Blurred Boundaries Between Work and Leisure Contribute to Heavier Drinking

Unless you are extremely disciplined, the boundaries between work and leisure tend to become blurred when you work at home. When does work end and private time start when your colleagues, managers, or clients expect you to be available 24/7?

Blurring the boundaries between work and home may be eroding inhibitions about drinking "on the job" when your workplace is also your private residence.

"Closet" Drinking Is Easier at Home

At an office, you might never even think about putting wine or beer in your coffee cup to help you get through a long meeting. Others in the meeting are likely to smell the alcohol. Online, this is not an issue. Being able to drink undetected removes one of the "backstops" that often discourage drinking in the workplace. Without a backstop, some remote workers drink more frequently and in larger quantities in the course of a workday.

Unlimited Availability

Anyone who has worked at home knows how much the refrigerator can be a temptation. The same is true for alcoholic beverages. At home, there is unobstructed access to alcohol any time of the day or night.

Drinking to Dull Pain When You Have Less Social Contact

The isolation of working from home can encourage reaching for alcohol as a way to manage unpleasant stressors. Alcohol can offer a balm to the pain or loneliness that feels more intense when we work less often alongside other people.

Drinking While Working at Home Can Escalate into a Serious Problem

Drinking from home does take longer to detect but over time it certainly can catch up with you. Over time, your drinking may increase incrementally before you realize that it has become a deeply ingrained habit, if not a full-blown addiction.

Alcohol can reduce your productivity, limit your ability to manage your professional responsibilities, impair your judgment, damage your health, and compound other mental health challenges you have. Drinking can completely derail your career and cause your relationships to deteriorate.

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If you’re concerned, it’s important to get help as soon as you start noticing that your drinking is becoming a problem. With proper support, you can get your alcohol consumption under better control. Here are some initial steps you can take:

1. Start with an online self-assessment.
2. Set your goals. With your psychologist, you can determine if you can aim to learn how to drink in moderation or if you should focus on abstinence.
3. Structure your week to reduce the opportunities for drinking. This may include spending more time in the office, working in a shared space, or setting strict times for work and leisure.
4. Get social support that you might be missing from in-office work. This might include joining a support group, spending more in-person time with friends or family, or joining a team.
5. Try to identify the stressors and emotional issues that might be powering your drink. Seek professional therapy from an addiction psychologist or other qualified practitioner who can help you learn new coping skills and reduce your need to "self-medicate" with alcohol or other substances.

© 2023 Dr. Arnold Washton. All rights reserved.

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