From Workaholic to “Well-Rounded”

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

From Workaholic to “Well-Rounded”

Do you find it impossible to shut work off the end of the day?
Do you have trouble carving out time for yourself or your loved ones?
Do you feel like you’re working so much that you never have time to refuel?
Do you have trouble sleeping because your brain is rattling off endless to-do’s?
Do you make promises to yourself (or someone you love) only to re-nig because you’re up against a deadline or simply too stressed with your workload?

These are all symptoms of Workaholism - an addiction to work. Yes, there may be short stints in your life where you have to work really hard at something in order to reach your goals. However, these short stints should be just that - short. After all, honey, life is a marathon. If you keep sprinting and sprinting that precious flame inside you will simply burn out.
Here are three effective ways to curb some of your workaholic tendencies and ease your way in to a more balanced life.

1) Keep your office space (or place of work) contained. For several months my office at home was under a bit of construction. Since I work from home a few days each week, I dodged the mess and took my laptop into the living room and worked from there. That meant that every time I came into the living room to eat, or read or just be, I plunked myself in front of the computer. Rather than moments of peace and quiet, or time for connection with my partner they became more “plugged in” working time. No wonder my relationship, health and productivity suffered. There were no boundaries to separate me from my work.

2) Set Time Limits. Allocate specific time segments to accomplish your work. When the time is up, let it go and move on to something else. If the perfectionist in you tries to lash out and keep you working, remind yourself that you have other aspects of life deserving attention and harness that perfectionist productivity toward something else.

3) Jot it down. When you’re not working and you’re enjoying your personal time, do not go back to work just because you had a great idea or remembered that last-minute task. Jot it down and save it for later. This rule especially applies when you’re lying in bed at night. Put those thoughts down on paper so you can let them go. Be vigilant and catch yourself going into work mode and after writing it down, consciously focus your thoughts on something more soothing, like things you’re grateful for or people that bring joy into your life.

4) Say bye-bye to guilt. In ~~some~~ many/most offices there is a culture around working late. If you’re not the first one in the office or the first to leave at night you’re simply not working hard enough. (cough, cough, bull-oney) I’ve fallen into this trap in the past. The question to ask yourself is, not how long you’ve been working but what percentage of your time you’re working at optimal levels of productivity or creativity. Allow yourself to break this cycle and make every minute count while you’re at work then leave when work is finished.

Steven Covey provides excellent advice for how to focus your life on the things that matter most. His 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a must-read for anyone looking to get their priorities in order and live life accordingly.