Monday, July 7, 2014

Workaholism


With all the fast-growing technologies, we think we are simplifying our lives. Instead, we discover we have more and more things to do, things that can be done.  People nowadays seem to be always busy and tend to become workaholic. Longer hours working and less time to rest lead to:
  • Less productivity or inefficiency.
  • Neglected family and social life.
  • Distorted concepts of what’s important and what’s not.

Oftentimes, a workaholic is the last to know that a problem exists. Ask your spouse or a close friend if they think you’re a workaholic. If the answer is yes, here are some ways to create a healthier balance between work and play.
  • Gradually cut down the number of hours you work each day or week. Avoid radical changes but take measurable steps, like making it a rule not to work on weekends. (If that means you have to cut your workload proportionally by skipping unimportant tasks or delegating some work, so be it.) 
  • Plan time for recreation in your schedule as though it were an important commitment.  (It is.) Set aside some time for fun, however brief, everyday.
  • Get some physical exercise everyday. Take a walk, do some stretching, or particiipate in some other non-stressful, noncompetitive activity.
  • Avoid talking about work over lunch.  Go on a picnic or meet an old friend and talk about something unrelated to work.
  • Choose a hobby that contrasts with the kind of work you do. If you work on highly technical mental problems all day, take up a handicraft hobby like woodworking or needlework. If you stay indoors all day, take up an outdoor activity like gardening or bicycling.
  • Select leisure activities carefully. You need at least one activity you can share with family or friends.
  • Refuse to feel guilty when you’re not working.  This is probably the most important step of all.

So before you burn out, address your workaholism.

Next week we shall discuss what happens when one gets burned out. – J.P.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com 

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