When you leave the office, do you have a difficult time thinking of anything other than work? At weekends, do you find yourself mentally sorting through your office to-do list? Do you work extremely long hours, to the point that you rarely spend time with friends or family? Do most of your conversations revolve around your latest project, your colleagues or clients?
If you find yourself answering “yes” to one or more of these questions, you might be a “workaholic” – someone who is literally addicted to working. Work addicts constantly think and talk about work, even when at home or out socialising, and have a difficult time drawing boundaries between private and professional time.
The downside of work addiction can be serious, including negative impacts on the worker’s physical and emotional wellbeing, relationships with friends and family, and, ironically, their productivity on the job.
Here are some tips for combating workaholic tendencies:
1. Cut your working hours. Try to scale back the amount of time you spend working in and out of the office. Consider delegating some of your responsibilities to colleagues or employees if it’s possible to do so.
2. Stop multi-tasking. If you find yourself often reviewing reports during meals or taking work-related phone calls at parties and family dinners, stop! Take the time to eat your meals in peace and give yourself a much-needed break from work.
3. Set aside time for yourself. It may sound obvious, but with all the pressure of work and family responsibilities it’s equally important to tend to your own personal needs. So make sure you schedule time each week to just be by yourself, free from work and other distractions. Use the time to pursue a hobby, exercise, or enjoy a movie or walk in the park. Even 15 minutes can make a difference.
4. Take care of your body. When you’re working hard, your body needs adequate rest, food and maintenance to keep running properly. Overworked people tend to spend late nights working, drink copious amounts of coffee and other sugary, caffeinated drinks, and make poor food choices. All of these things take a toll on your health, and will eventually take a toll on your work performance too.
5. Strengthen your relationships outside work. Life moves so quickly, we often forget how important it is to build and maintain our connections with the people we care about. Once a day, take time to focus on the people close to you: ask your partner about his or her day, help your children with their schoolwork, or check in with a friend. If needs be, schedule this time in your PDA or calendar, just like an appointment.
6. Carefully prioritise and schedule. When you add a new task or activity to your schedule, eliminate one that demands equivalent time and energy. When scheduling tasks, allow more time than you think you need to complete the task so that you will have ample time for unexpected circumstances and won’t feel rushed.
7. Consider counselling. Many work addicts have trouble finding happiness or satisfaction outside of the office – or use work to distract themselves from other, more serious issues. If this is the case for you, consider seeing a therapist to talk through your thoughts and feelings. Remember, your mental health is more important than any job!