I have struggled with being a workaholic on and off since college. It has been much more apparent recently since my workload has increased. Lately, with my day job I have found that I’ve been somewhat disconnected from the work. I have been racking my brain as to why I feel a lack of connection, and it dawned on me that I still have not learned how to clock out.
I work for myself (read I work for the clients who hire me to work for them), so really I could work as much as I want. And, there have been periods of time in the last year when I have done just that. It’s not healthy to work just because you can. I actually had an awesome client of mine point this out to me as well.
When I went on vacation a couple of weeks ago, she ordered me to not work. She also told me that when she first started out in the workforce she thought that there was some virtue in working whenever she was awake. But, being a business owner herself, she said this does not last very long before you can and will CRASH and BURN.
Before my vacation, I only knew how to go from working my ass off to not caring at all because I was burnt out. So, it was just one extreme or the other. It’s not a fun way to spend most of your week…and I do spend most of my week working. So, now I am trying to learn how to clock out and not work just whenever. I’ve been saying to myself a lot, “No one is going to die, so it CAN wait until tomorrow.”
I recently sat with a close friend of mine and we were talking about our “why” for pursuing a career as a creative. I forget that one of my deepest why’s is helping others. I revel in being of service to other people around me and making them smile. It fills me with a kind of joy that is hard to get any other way. However, I have felt that same joy when I know that I did a really good job for multiple people or gave a stellar performance, because that’s still being of service by using the gifts that I have cultivated in my life.
This one took a loopy turn, but I guess my point is…if you’re struggling with being a workaholic, don’t forget to enjoy life and remember the easy things you’re grateful for. There is such a thing as being TOO productive.