Organising your work and your life
The truth is that it's just not possible to work 10 or 12 hours a day, six days a week and still be effective. And anyway, achieving success in your career is not the same as having a fulfilling life. So, before you lose sight of your own needs, take a step back and look at what is happening.
Telltale signs
First you have to recognise the signs that you may be overworking:
Do you feel that things won't get done properly unless you do them?
Do you fear that you will be a failure if you don't work hard?
Do you worry about the future, even when things are going well?
Do you frequently work late at the office and/or take work home?
Do you often work at weekends and at holiday time?
Do you talk and think about work constantly – even when you are away from it?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you have the makings of the next workaholism victim. So what can you do next?
Some people work such long hours that they damage their relationships. Others lose their family, their home and their life. Tiredness and exhaustion can lead to mistakes, bad decisions, damage to property and personal injury.
The truth is that workaholism can creep up on you, and it can be just as destructive as drinking to excess.
Overcoming the problem
These days everyone has to work hard to get anywhere in their career - it's never an easy ride. The trick is to check that we are doing the right things in the right way and to maintain a healthy balance.
If you feel you are a workaholic, take a deep breath and resolve to change the way you live. Take some time out each day for yourself. Make sure that you do something exciting, relaxing or interesting in the evenings and at weekends. It could be taking some exercise, going to see a film, chilling out with friends, pursuing a new hobby. Whatever you decide, plan it well in advance, mark the time in red in your diary and recognise that these activities are important priorities in your life.
On top of all this, you must make sure that you stop for lunch and take other short breaks throughout the working day. Your aim should be to find a better quality of life and to rediscover some of the things that make the hard slog worthwhile.
