Are you one of the anxious and driven go-getter types? Determine your traits here and see if you’ll fall under Type A personality!
You often hear the phrase, “you’re such a type A personality,” with a chuckle. Usually, you respond with a sarcastic retort, but you hear it so often these days that all you can do is just stand still in disbelief, thinking: “What’s wrong with having a schedule and being organized?”
“They’re the ones who were late, they’re the ones with a problem!” and “I see nothing wrong about having plans and making them happen.” In fact, a person who has a Type A personality is more likely to be the responsible and the big achievers. Because of this, there is nothing wrong with it. [Read: 7 things to know before dating a type a personality]
Why having a Type A personality is an advantage
If you’re a Type A personality, you tend to value your time more than those who are more laid back. Others may see you as both driven and impatient. Thoughts and internal processes are more likely to revolve around specific ideas and current projects than they are about abstract concepts.
Keep in mind that having a type A personality is neither excellent nor negative in and of itself. Type A character features may enhance your professional performance and your capacity to deal with difficult circumstances. What really matters is how you put those attributes into practice and handle stress in your life.
You know it—despite the negative connotations people attach to being a “Type A,” deep inside, these people wish they could be you. You pride yourself on being a hard nut to crack—and by all means, you: Get. Things. Done. “Type A” has become such a social buzzword for anxious and driven go-getters.
Often, it’s an oversimplified description, topped with bemusement and gentle chiding. However, while they find you ridiculous or “too stressed,” you’re the one who’s sitting back and relaxing while the deadline is approaching, and they’re the ones racking their brains trying to figure out what the hell they’re doing. Believe it or not, having these Type A personality traits have the perks, and some people just don’t see it yet. [Read: Dating expectations: Type A vs type B personalities]
Traits that make you typically Type A
So while the “Type A” classification may be overreaching or come off as too harsh for some, it can still be a tool to help you identify your own strengths and weaknesses. Below is a list of signs that can help you identify if you’re a Type A. [Read: 30 Alpha Male characteristics that make someone a real Alpha]
1. Passing time? No way!
You absolutely shudder at the thought of “passing time.” What’s with doing nothing, anyway, when you can work your way up to your to-do list and accomplish both short-and-long-term goals? And, of course, change the world in the process.
For you, wasting time is a no-no, and it physically hurts you when you are subjected to it. As a Type A personality, what do you do during weekdays and weekends? Do you also plan your days ahead of time?
2. 30 hours a day
If only, right? You’ve been there: at some point, you actually believed sleeping was a waste of time and you still wish there were more than 24 hours in a day, so you could accomplish all you want to do.
Although this is a routine for workaholics or people who have a Type A personality, catching up on a good night’s rest is still necessary. Quality sleep helps boost productivity. [Read: 17 qualities of a good husband & why these traits in a man stand out]
3. 40-hour workweek?
And what’s a 40-hour workweek? A vacation??? Sorry but Type A people won’t waste any second or minute. Even during lunchtime, they want to have their work done ahead of time. For some, avoiding frequent trips to the restroom may be as simple as not drinking too much water.
4. Study guides—organized
Your study guides are always immaculate. You hand-write them neatly, and then you highlight almost everything you’ve written. AND you’re proud of every single study guide you’ve made with such care.
If you’ve been doing these things back when you were still in high school or college, there’s a big chance that you have Type A personality traits.
5. Vacation essentials
While those on vacation can’t go without sunscreen, you can’t go without your laptop. Those emails won’t answer themselves, you know, so you never go anywhere that doesn’t have excellent and free WiFi.
Can you share at least once when you went on a vacation trip, yet you had to update your boss about work, but it does not feel weird at all?
6. Night owl and morning person
You don’t understand those cranky people in the morning and those who go to bed early. There’s always something to look forward to in the morning, so you get up—no, jump—out of bed every morning, all psyched up.
Furthermore, you always have something to do at night, and you just can’t stand turning in early. How great would it be if everyone’s born with a Type A personality? The feeling would have been already living in the world in the year 2050!
7. Productivity all the way
Candy Crush? Clash of Clans? What are those? Even your Spotify playlist is filled with songs that boost productivity. There’s nothing like the sound of calendar and to-do notifications popping up on your phone all day to relax and soothe you. Not to mention, watching Netflix and Asian drama series is not an option. [Read: The best things to do when you’re stuck at home & feel productive]
8. Productivity is the cure for everything
When you have a fever, the flu, or that ever-present migraine, you know deep inside that there’s no point nursing those illnesses. After all, the cure for all of mankind’s ailments is productivity and staying active. Work is much more potent than Tylenol.
However, working too much may lead to health complications or, worse, chronic illness. Yes, we get that you don’t want to ruin your productivity. But you have to understand that we don’t have unlimited time, energy, and money.
Even in this day and age, prevention is still better than cure. But that’s one of the Type A personality traits for you – they’re basically a productivity machine!
9. Multi-tasking is a lifestyle
Seriously, how do people live doing one thing at a time? Life is all about doing at least three things simultaneously—or else, how will anything ever get done? If you can cook while reading and responding to emails, why not? Multi-tasking can be done at all times, but it’s not for everyone.
10. Problem equation
For you, venting or “unloading” is a waste of time. Instead of talking and whining about what’s wrong, you find a way to do something about it. There’s a problem? Solve it! Don’t make the little problem a big problem.
We have to agree that this is one of the best things about having a Type A personality. You don’t stress too much about the problem. Instead, you find a solution and take care of it ASAP.
11. Born to rise
Problems don’t faze you. You eat them for breakfast. For you, life is about tackling one problem after another and succeeding through it all. After all, you’re a born problem-solver. During breakfast this morning, what kinds of problems have you had?
12. They talk, you do
You are not impressed by people who say, “I’m going to start a business!” “I am going to travel the world,” “I am going to climb a mountain,” or “I’m going to start a band.”
While it’s a good idea, to you, it’s only a pipe dream unless they actually do it—and the talkers usually don’t. For people who have a Type A personality, what big goals have you already achieved so far?
13. To-do list is life
Something is soothing about writing a to-do list for just about anything. In fact, there’s no greater feeling than writing a tick mark on that square box.
And you always have something to do after checking all the boxes. It’s the same whether you’re at a grocery shop or a bookstore. To keep track of what you need, you make sure that you have a notepad at all times.
14. Laziness is a crime
Lazy people drive you up the wall. You don’t want to have anything to do with them. In fact, you’re working on a rocket ship to transfer all those lazy people to Pluto.
That’s only a joke for now. In the end, though, if you’re part of a team that places a high value on time and productivity, you’ll have to work really hard. You don’t want to see the Type A’s go mad *that’d be a complete nightmare*!
15. Simple joys
There’s no such thing as simple joys for you. The true joy of life can be found from doing and accomplishing – and doing again. Simple pleasures mean a lot more if you don’t have a Type A personality. With their encouragement, you’ll work harder. [Read: 10 easy ways the perpetually busy can still find love]
16. Calendars
Yes, you actually have calendars—and alarms for everything. You have a weekly calendar for all your tasks, a monthly calendar for all your other tasks, and a yearly calendar so you can smugly see just how many things you’ve done in one year.
Since technology has been advancing pretty quickly lately, most people use Google Calendars now. As far as we can tell, Type A’s don’t miss a thing.
17. Hate late
Yes, you absolutely hate people who are late. Not only do they not show respect for your time, but they also make you waste more time by waiting for them *when a lot can already be done in those 5 minutes*!
Do you know who else hates latecomers? – your boss who has a Type A personality. What would you do? Be there in the conference room 10 minutes before the meeting.
18. Game night is fight night
There’s no such thing as fun and games for you. Charades and Monopoly mean battle, and you would’ve had war paint all over your face each time if you hadn’t worried the paint would mess up your perfectly-applied makeup. When it comes to game nights with coworkers or friends, Type A people are just as competitive as they are at work.
19. Small talk
You hate waiting around for other people so much that you don’t like it when you have to have a conversation with that slow-talker, Sandy. You finish her sentences and just wish the conversation was over and done with as soon as you got the information you needed to get the project done.
When’s the last time you had the most boring and most extended conversation with a coworker that you ended up walking out on them?
To be less offensive towards chatty people during work, ask them out for a quick coffee break with you sometime. Having a Type A personality doesn’t mean you have to be rude!
20. Moral leadership
When you are with a group of people working on something, like a school presentation or a work project, you feel it is your moral duty to lead these blind mice. Otherwise, nothing will ever get done, and you don’t want to fail because the people around you are incompetent. Ugh. [Read: 10 tried and tested ways to become a better leader at work]
21. Group nightmares
Actually, working with a group frustrates you because you’re always surrounded by people who can’t tell a waltz from a tango. As always, you’re better off doing the whole thing yourself while thinking about how you hate other people.
Remember those times at school when you had been assigned to lead a group? Well, the responsibilities get bigger and tougher to handle in a corporate setting. You’re lucky if you find a group that has a Type A personality.
22. Who’s tired?
Exhaustion is a foreign word to you. After all, you do not stop when you’re tired. You only stop when you’re done. So when you feel your energy’s draining, you gulp another can of Red Bull to save the day. What do you do or drink when you’re tired? Can you share your tips? [Read: 18 naughty ways to make time for sex in a busy schedule]
23. Nights out
Introverts who have a Type A personality seldom leave their homes. Your weekend nights consist of taking clients out for dinner and convincing them with your pitch or actually going out to observe people for your research. Whatever you do on weekends, you either stay in to work or go out to work. No buts about it.
24. Spotlight slut
Who doesn’t love getting all that praise and attention? You love the spotlight—admit it. Not that you work for all the glory and appreciation.
You work to get things done. Type A people always look forward to this. The spotlight is just the cherry on top and you unashamedly, unapologetically bask in it. [Read: How to be a real bad ass in 25 awesomely bad ways]
25. No shame
You’ve been described as an over-achiever, a perfectionist, a workaholic, a Type A. Yet you have no problem with it. In fact, you wonder why people think of perfectionism as something negative when it is the only purpose that should drive every action.
26. Often sigh of annoyance
When we reflect on how impatient we might be at times, we, too, feel horrible. We may be easily upset by little matters since we place a high value on time management.
27. Eat or walk rapidly
Those with a Type A personality do this all the time. Whether they’re at home or work, it’s already in their system, and it just naturally flows. Watch out for these peeps during lunch break.
28. What is exercise?
Is catching up on a bus ride to work not considered exercise? Oops! Walking and running back and forth from your boss’s office to your desk is already enough for Type-A folks. As long as you can feel your body dripping with sweat? No need for exercise. [Read: 30 inspirational tips on how to get motivated to exercise]
29. No time for romantic relationships
Considering all the time and money you’ve been investing in your work and life, dating around is not on the list. Some people don’t have the time and luxury when they have a family to feed or bills to pay every month. If you’re emotionally stable and ready to date, you can ask anyone to go out with you except those with a Type A personality.
30. Family-oriented
Those who don’t have time for romantic relationships and have the “family comes first” mindset are family-oriented individuals. You care more about the future of your household and how you can achieve your goals for them. Moreover, we’d like to think that this is one of the most extraordinary Type A personality traits to possess.
[Read: 7 things you really have to know before dating a Type A]
Having a Type A personality can neither be good nor bad
You have accomplished all that you’ve planned for, your life is perfect, and despite the grind of a competitive career, you still have it all together.
You’re a Type A personality, and people secret envy you. While it can be seen as a negative thing, there’s no denying that this personality has its perks. [Read: 7 things you really have to know before dating a Type A]
The world goes round and round because of Type A personality people who get things done, no matter what. If you resonate with these 30 signs above, embrace your personality and wear it – loud and proud!
