Overcoming Work Addiction

Why are you so busy? Do you really have too much work? Is work so important to you that you'll sacrifice just about anything in your life to get the job done? Even if it's at the expense of your health and your relationships?

If you find these questions disturbing then see how you rate with these ones:

Do you work more than 50 hours a week?

Do you dream about work?

Do you feel that in order to succeed you must work late most of the time?

Are you a stranger in your own home?

Do you constantly miss family and social events because you're always working?

Do you schedule and undertake more than you can get done in a 40-hour work week?

Do you get bored when you're not working?

Is missing family and social events because of work unavoidable?

When on holiday do you constantly check your phone messages and email?

Your Score

The greater the number of yes answers, the closer you are to fitting the profile of a workaholic. If you've answered yes to more than half of the questions, it's time to take stock before you lose your health, family and everything you hold near and dear to your heart.

Do a Stocktake

First, of all take a really good look at your job, what you do and the importance of your accomplishments. Are you appreciated for all those long hours you've put in? Does it really - I mean really - make a difference to your income? Let's face it. In today's economic environment, employees are often nothing more than expendable pawns. No amount of overtime and sacrifice will make a difference when a company has to make cutbacks.

Are You Having Fun?

Secondly, determine if you're having fun at your job, long hours notwithstanding. If you're not having fun and are popping antacids to avoid a stress-related ulcer, then you need to rethink all that hard work you're putting in. Fun must be a high priority in your life and your job should be no exception.

Gary's Story

In one of our coaching sessions, Gary told me he wanted to expand his social circle yet didn't have time because he worked from 7.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. most days. He said he'd been doing this for years and that it was 'the norm' in his profession.

As I continued to question him about why it was standard procedure to work these ridiculous hours, he realised that those colleagues who succumbed to this belief were all very unhappy individuals. Most of them were divorced just like he was and had no-one to go home to. They used work as a way to avoid the loneliness.

Gary was divorced because he didn't pay attention to his relationships. He would arrive home at 7.30 p.m. most nights and his wife wouldn't bother communicating with him. She was busy looking after their two young boys and meeting their needs. At that time of night his wife was putting the kids to bed.

Gary would read them a story if they hadn't already fallen asleep.

He was missing out on everything that was important to him.

Unfortunately Gary didn't wake up to himself in time and got caught up with being 'Mr. Important' at work. He paid a heavy price with the divorce which followed.

Bringing Up Kids

In his book "Raising Boys", Stephen Biddulph categorically states: If you routinely work a fifty five or sixty hour week, including travel times, you just won't cut it as a dad.

He says: Your sons will have problems in life and it will be down to you.

The Final Word

If you seriously want to make changes to your life, then take action now. If it's too hard to do by yourself, get a coach. If you've been a workaholic it can take awhile to break your old habits and to instill new behaviours. After all you've got everything to gain by working less and everything to lose by continuing the way you are.

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser (http://www.office-organiser.com.au) is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach.

Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life.

We Offer a Broad Range of Services and Products including: Coaching for small business owners and professionals, keynote presentations and workshops, books, CD's, DVD's and on-line learning programs.

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss your specific needs at lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

---

Coaching Skills Does Matter At Chick?fil-A

In this discussion, we talk about Coaching Skills with Phil... Read More

How to Jump-start Your Emotional Health

You've probably heard the expression: "It's not what you're eating.... Read More

Sheep Do Not Start Out Lost

Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even... Read More

Why Therapy Fails Sometimes

I saw a couple for marriage counseling this week, and... Read More

Listen To Me Lad Says Jack

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, when... Read More

Think, Pause & Talk

There are two kinds of peoples we generally face in... Read More

Build Your People Skills

How would you like to get along even better with... Read More

Skills for Change

The name of the game is CHANGE -- that's true... Read More

Do You Want to Make More Money as A Life Coach

There's a lot of coaches out there not making any... Read More

Living In The Now

I hope you are sitting down as you read this!... Read More

Your Past and Present Hold Key to Your Future

Knowing more about who you are will give you the... Read More

Getting Unstuck: Moving Forward To Success

Ever find yourself stuck in that awful loop of inactivity?... Read More

Worth Waiting For

Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 22,... Read More

Ch-Ch-Chain of Hearts: Cranking Up Compassion

Can you hear your compassion? It's time to crank it... Read More

What Is Executive Presence?

Often our clients refer someone to us for Executive Coaching... Read More

Personal Power

All of us would love to have personal power ?... Read More

Successful Change Starts With A Shift In Perspective

Like so many in corporate America today, Susan needed more... Read More

How to Kill Fear When Dealing with Aggressive People

The book Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by... Read More

What You See is What You Get

H. Jackson Brown Jr. once wrote, Your mind can only... Read More

Key Questions for a Coaching Conversation

There are 2 key skills that coaches need to be... Read More

Coaches, Do You Make These 7 Deadly Cash Flow Mistakes in Your Practice?

Managing cash flow is every small business owner's most important... Read More

A Call To Do Better

I'm calling you out. Issuing a Challenge. Relax, It's not... Read More

One BIG Way To Increase Your Values and Self-Esteem

One hour here, two hours there, even fifteen minutes, it... Read More

Gullibles Travels

A journey by a web-footed gull through a sea of... Read More

Beware of Psychic Vampires

I am often asked how I stay happy and motivated... Read More