10 signs that work means life to you and why you must change

Many of us have what might seem like an obsessive passion for our jobs. We stay up till the wee hours of the morning, furiously tapping away on the keyboard of our computer; wake up early to check our email; and spend the entire day at office, gulping down mug-after-mug of coffee, addressing work problems, carving out solutions, completing projects, beginning new ones. This becomes a routine, and before we know it, we are sucked into the grind, and have quite conveniently forgotten all that should have been important in the first place.

Here are a few signs you’re a workaholic and why you should break the cycle:

You’re the first to be at work and the last to leave for home

You love the quiet of the office when you get in early or stay late. You are of the opinion that it helps you focus and work better. Much to the chagrin of your family, you prefer spending a better part of your day at work than you do at home.

Your work follows you everywhere you go

Even after a long day at work, you can’t seem to switch off. You bring work home every single day, your phone is constantly buzzing with phone calls, texts and emails, and your laptop just won’t get a break. You even compromise sleeping in on weekends for work and sometimes use work as an excuse to skip important get-togethers and family time.

The only trips you take are business trips

The only time you get out of town is if you are headed to meet with clients, attend work seminars, and discuss potential projects. Otherwise, the confines of your workplace are more than bliss to you!

You find it hard to talk about anything but work

When you find yourself in social situations, you manage a bit of small talk. However, eventually you steer all conversations towards your work and gather loads of flak from family and friends for the same.

Your hobbies have been long forgotten because you ‘just don’t have the time!’

You played really good basketball in school; in college, you spent hours writing scripts. Somewhere along the way, you even picked up a guitar and wrote a couple of songs. But now, you are content to sit in your cubicle all day without a minute to spare to engage in hobbies that were once close to your heart.

You want complete control

No matter what project you are working on, and even if you have an entire team assigned to work with you, you take upon yourself as much as possible and find it hard to dole out tasks to your colleagues simply because you believe no one else can do the work as well.

Your desk is a mini-cafeteria

Owing to the fact that you don’t have time to step away from your desk, your drawers are filled with packets of cookies, canned soup, packaged nuts, chips, and aerated drinks. You also bring a packed lunch every day, which you eat at your desk while you work through your lunch break.

You are a perfectionist when it comes to work

You can’t even have an hour off while you’re at work. You need every aspect to be perfect and you don’t mind putting in as many extra hours needed to get there.

You’re never too unwell to work

You could be burning up with a fever, your nose clogged and you probably can’t say a word because your throat hurts. Yet, you will not take the day off to rest. Your work cannot wait, and that’s that.

You hide work from loved ones

Your family and friends complain a lot about your long working hours and the lack of attention and affection you display towards them. All that nagging has gotten you frustrated, and you’ve made up your mind to work while no one’s watching. Hence, you find yourself working while the family is away or asleep.

Being a workaholic is a serious problem and can be detrimental to one’s health, well-being, and personal relationships. Here are some tips on how to unwind and find yourself:

• Create a schedule that clearly gives you a couple of hours each day to relax, spend time with family, have a laugh and chill. Making the schedule is not enough; it is important to stick to it.

• Work is not your only priority. Spend some time focusing on your family, kids, and friends – a little attention goes a long way.

• Treat yourself with some ‘me time.’ It is important to revive your passions, get pampered and give life to your talents; not only will it give you some time off from life’s rush, it will also help you develop a unique skill.

• Intersperse your work hours with short breaks and refrain from working through your lunch break so as to increase your attention span and thereby heighten the quality of your work.

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)

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