How to Avoid Becoming a Workaholic

How to Avoid Becoming a WorkaholicHow to Avoid Becoming a WorkaholicWhen it comes to your career, you are committed and passionate. Your job is fulfilling. In many ways it has become a part of your identity. But is there a downside to your dedication? Are you a workaholic?Hard work, we are told, pays off. But in a culture that tends to overvalue workaholism (often passing it off as routine devotion), those long hours could throw off your delicate work-life balance.The workaholic is becoming less anonymousAs any bona fide workaholic can attest, sometimes your job (and the need to do it anywhere, anytime) just sneaks up on you. While you once only imbibed when appropriate - like during normal geschftlicher umgang hours - now you find yourself staying late to reply to schmelzglass when no one is around.Soon after, you begin bringing work home so you can catch up after hours. And to top it all off, your fruchtwein sacred free time - your weekends - are becoming less about you and mor e about work. Youre not alone More than three-quarters (77 percent) of advertising and marketing executives surveyed by The Creative Group said they send work-related emails at least one weekend per month, with 15 percent reporting they do it every weekend.And while you never imagined it would happen, youre now skipping vacations, too.Its time for an intervention.The first step is admitting youre a workaholicConsistently putting in long hours and making a habit of working on the weekend is not good for the creative soul. In fact, too much work can be unhealthy, unproductive and unrewarding. Everyone needs to strike the right work-life balance to be happy - for ones sanity and to tend to other key life functions (like sleeping, eating right, exercising and attending to the important people in your life). Not to mention burnout, which can seriously hinder creativity.3 tips to avoid becoming a workaholicIf achieving a healthier work-life balance is something youre after, consider thes e three tips for keeping your workweek under control.1. Time management. Time is one of your most important resources. Were paid for it (and often by it), so it makes sense to spend it wisely. This might mean declining non-essential meetings or dedicating time on your calendar to accomplishing one task (like writing a blog post). Also keep opportunity costs in mind if youre spending hours on a less urgent project, youre missing out on attending to those that could be more impactful. And while a quick procrastination break every now and then never hurt anyone, its important to set end goals to keep your productivity in check.2. Delegation. Learning how to delegate is the yin to time managements yang. In other words, you will have more time if you know how to delegate tasks as appropriate. To start, know what requires your expertise and what doesnt. Perhaps a project manager is the better person to run a meeting or keep a project rolling. Understand your teams strengths and make good use of them. Finally, be honest about what you can take on. If you feel overwhelmed, you likely wont be able to produce your best work. Be willing to say no sometimes and ask for help.3. Clear boundaries. Business fluctuates, and there will no doubt be times when you have to stay late, work a Saturday or return an email in the wee hours. But its unwise to make this a habit. Remember why youre working in the first place to support yourself or your family, and to feel fulfilled, empowered or professionally satisfied. If you dont want to find yourself in the live to work group, create clear boundaries. This may mean leaving by 600 each evening, no matter what, or blocking time to work out during your lunch break. It may also mean not checking work email on your personal phone or at all on the weekends.Make working work for youWorking is not all bad its what most of us have to do to eat, live and stay intellectually challenged. It is vital. And even if you were to eliminate the notion o f financial dependence, work in its own right can be enjoyable and provide a sense of pride. When you love what you do, you want to do it, and you want to do it well. That is why its so important to find a balance.Looking for more on this topic? Read our post on time management tips now