Now, a new test to prove whether you are a 'workaholic'

Your boss may really like to read this news -- a new test has been devised to prove whether one is a "workaholic" or not.

Scientists at the Nottingham Trent University and the University of Bergen have come up with the test which they claim could determine once and for all whether you are officially addicted to work. They have tested 12,000 workers to find out the key elements of "workaholism".

The study, the first of its kind in the world, also found that work addiction was getting "worse" and blamed the blurring of boundaries between the home and office making it harder to "switch off", The Daily Telegraph reported.

The questions come in the form of statements which participants must answer on a sliding scale of 1, to represent "never", 2 meaning "rarely", 3 meaning "sometimes", 4 for "often" and 5,

representing "always".

They include "You think of how you can free up more time to work"; "You spend much more time working than initially intended"; and "You work in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness and depression".

Other potentially revealing statements are -- "You have been told by others to cut down on work without listening to them"; "You become stressed if you are prohibited from working"; "You prioritise hobbies, leisure activities, and exercise because of your work".

Those who score a 4 or 5 on four or more of the seven questions may be considered workaholics, according to the findings published in the 'Journal of Psychology'.