Let's face it, workaholics are addicts and they need to be treated as such. Okay, so maybe it's not as serious as alcoholism or other addiction related diseases, but the fact of the matter remains that the sheer term "workaholic" indicates a problem. Wayne Oats, first coined the term in his 1971 book titled, Confessions of a Workaholic (clearly a play on alcoholic), and ever since then, the word's sentiment has been exemplified by generations of overachieving, corporate-ladder-climbing human resources who lose sight of life's meaning. But like other "-aholics" workaholics are not solely to blame. In fact, in many ways, our culture encourages and reinforces our obsessive, workaholic ways!
So, we've decided that it is in fact, time to get serious about workaholism.
There we said it. But before we go further let's address the misuse of the
term: workaholic is sometimes (loosely) used to describe an energetic person
who is committed to his work, revels in his work, has good relations with co-workers
and sometimes takes pleasure on non-remunerative activities along with attending
to family and social functions. This is inaccurate. A workaholic must be
working almost all the time… just enjoying your work doesn't count.
So, what if you're not sure whether you or someone you love is a workaholic?
Answering 'yes' to some or all of the following questions may help you decide
whether or not you're dealing with workaholism.
If you don't work, do you believe that your world will collapse?
Do you think that you are the only person capable of performing your work?
Are you exhausted or fatigued by overworking?
Is your excess work, leading to poor relationships at work or outside of work?
If you answered 'yes' to most of the questions above, then you are most likely
a workaholic. No need for wallowing in lowly self-pity. Like all addictions
workaholism can be subdued so long as you recognize that it exists and that
you may have it.
First, you need to rediscover the power of doing nothing.
Remember when you were younger? You may have sat for hours passing
the time away, either entertaining yourself or sitting and vegging out. Well,
you may have to sit down for this one; this is called rest. Kids never sit
and do nothing unless they've been running around making a muck of everything
that comes in their path; this is called playing. These two concepts can apply
to adulthood, in relative context of course. I'm not advising you sit for hours
on end and count the pores in your skin. Simply, take a break and wind down
every once in a while. Breathe!
Next, take solace in simple things.
Sitting outside and enjoying fresh air, the sound of birds chirping,
and the smell of nearby plants reaching full bloom -- all of these clichés
exist because, not surprisingly so, they bring peace to even the most world-weary
workaholics among us. Getting out into nature (sans your cell phone) will do
a lot to reconnect you with this plane of existence (you know, the one outside
of your office).
Lastly, it's no secret that a healthy body is a happy body!
Exercise often (and don't forget to stretch). Yoga also comes to mind
as a great source of calm. That said, physical fitness is only one third of
the optimal: a healthy mind, body and spirit. Whatever your beliefs are, try
and focus on achieving a balance by being in touch with yourself completely.
This means dedicating time to each of the three aspects (and no work, in this
case, does not enrich your spirit).
Workaholics simply have to accept that overworking is an attempt to control
the outcome of any situations, which oftentimes are out of our control. To
combat workaholic tendencies, try to release your grip over every situation
- not just your professional ones. Life is about imagining the possibilities.
Live for and imagine what's possible, not what you can control.
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