Workaholic

Image Source: cymagen via FlickR

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a workaholic.  Sometimes I like it because I can produce lots of things quickly – other times, like this week, I wish I could just relax and stop trying to do everything so maybe I could actually get something done.  Here’s a quick checklist for how to recognize you are working too much, and another list for how to get through it.

Signs You Are Working Too Much

• Forgetting Things – You can’t seem to coordinate your life and all the important tools that help you manage it.  Today I forgot my blackberry.  Then on the bus to a meeting, I realized I left my finished blog post for today on my corporate PC.  (Which is why you get this today instead.)  At my meeting I realized I needed my laptop, which was sitting on my couch at home.  If you are forgetting things frequently, you probably need to slow down.
• Concentration Loss – Does your head seem cloudy lately?  If you zone out a lot lately or lose your place when working on something, you have too many things needing attention.  I’ve been in a daze all day and part of last week too, and I’ve noticed a lack of productivity because I’m so easily distracted.
• Weight Gain – You don’t take time to eat, don’t take time to sleep, and end up having blue corn chips for dinner at 10pm.  If this happens to you more than a few days in a row, check the scale.  The number of pounds you gain is proportional to how much you need to relax.

4 Quick Cures For the Common Workaholic (or how to cope when you’re already screwed)

• Work Out – Sure it cuts into time you should be doing other things, but working out for an 30 minutes to an hour will help you release stress, increase energy, and reestablish focus.
• Learn To Say No – You already have too much work – don’t be an idiot.  If someone asks you for help, just say no.
• Be Where You Are – The only way to keep up is to be mentally present wherever you are physically present.  Don’t think about work when with your friends; likewise, don’t daydream at a meeting.
• Write It Down – Not your task list, but your feelings.  It’s made me feel better already.

How do you come when life gets too hectic?  How do you relax?   What are some other tips you have for workaholics?

Further Reading:

• Are You a Workaholic?  Tips to Balance Your Work
• From Workaholic To “Well-Rounded”