Here's a great idea for your Tuesday. If you have a yacht, don't sail it near Somalia. And if you feel the need to go somewhere that requires passage anywhere near Somalia, don't go.
I don't know if you've heard, but there are ruthless, blood thirsty pirates there; real ones, that don't work for Disney.
You could die.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Prioritizing
I am on the road to being a full-fledged work-a-holic. This realization, which came to me over the past week, is frightening.
With the exception of caffeine, I have really never considered myself an addict. I've never even tried marijuana, and cannot even stand to be under the influence of prescription pain medications, even when in excruciating pain. Addiction to work, however, has slowly been creeping up on me.
The 8 hour workday/40 hour work week used to be the "norm" for me. I attended college in the evenings and on weekends for the better part of 7 or 8 years. As graduation approached, I felt the need to dive deeper into my "career" and strove for promotions and authority. I wanted to feel fulfillment and accomplishment.
Today, a 50 or 60 hour work week is not uncommon - and that is only the time I spend at the office. When I leave, it comes with me. The only thing I have to think about and talk about is work.
At some point, my brain started thinking that doing a good job means putting extra hours in. When I see co-workers staying late, I feel guilty leaving on time...so I stay. When I get home, I realize that my brain is still focusing on work. I'm exhausted. I'm dissatisfied. I have nothing left to give my husband, my family, and my friends. I have no energy left to exercise, or cook a healthy meal. My weight is creeping up; my attitude is turning negative.
The all-knowing and all-powerful Wikipedia states that, in addition to substance abuse, "addiction can also be viewed as a continued involvement with...an activity despite the negative consequences associated with it".
Now that the negative consequences have been identified, I realize that I am developing a problem, and I have to figure out a way to break this bad habit before it becomes an full-on addiction. The time has come to reassess my priorities, and recognize the fact that I am at a crossroads.
This past Friday, I came into work with the goal of leaving on time. I told myself that I had to accomplish certain goals, and that working past 4:30pm was not an option. I even got up and left a meeting with my boss in order to leave on time. It felt wonderful. Liberating. Healthy.
Like anyone trying to overcome an addiction, I need to give myself a short term, attainable plan in order to achieve the big long term goal.
My plan for tomorrow is to get in on time and get out on time. To do the best job I can in an 8 hour day, come home, and leave the work at work. And then...well, I take it one day at a time and try to make it through the week, month, year, and beyond.
Work is important, and it has its place. Time, however, is something that I can never get back. Over-investing time in work is like feeding a bad stock more money. Rather than admit that I am making a bad investment, I convince myself that if I just keep putting in more and more time, there will be a big pay off. This is a more dangerous gamble than the stock market. One can always figure out a way to make more money and recoup loss. I am destroying my health, my relationships, and my attitude, and I can never get back the extra, pointless time that I am giving work.
This must stop...I will stop.
With the exception of caffeine, I have really never considered myself an addict. I've never even tried marijuana, and cannot even stand to be under the influence of prescription pain medications, even when in excruciating pain. Addiction to work, however, has slowly been creeping up on me.
The 8 hour workday/40 hour work week used to be the "norm" for me. I attended college in the evenings and on weekends for the better part of 7 or 8 years. As graduation approached, I felt the need to dive deeper into my "career" and strove for promotions and authority. I wanted to feel fulfillment and accomplishment.
Today, a 50 or 60 hour work week is not uncommon - and that is only the time I spend at the office. When I leave, it comes with me. The only thing I have to think about and talk about is work.
At some point, my brain started thinking that doing a good job means putting extra hours in. When I see co-workers staying late, I feel guilty leaving on time...so I stay. When I get home, I realize that my brain is still focusing on work. I'm exhausted. I'm dissatisfied. I have nothing left to give my husband, my family, and my friends. I have no energy left to exercise, or cook a healthy meal. My weight is creeping up; my attitude is turning negative.
The all-knowing and all-powerful Wikipedia states that, in addition to substance abuse, "addiction can also be viewed as a continued involvement with...an activity despite the negative consequences associated with it".
Now that the negative consequences have been identified, I realize that I am developing a problem, and I have to figure out a way to break this bad habit before it becomes an full-on addiction. The time has come to reassess my priorities, and recognize the fact that I am at a crossroads.
This past Friday, I came into work with the goal of leaving on time. I told myself that I had to accomplish certain goals, and that working past 4:30pm was not an option. I even got up and left a meeting with my boss in order to leave on time. It felt wonderful. Liberating. Healthy.
Like anyone trying to overcome an addiction, I need to give myself a short term, attainable plan in order to achieve the big long term goal.
My plan for tomorrow is to get in on time and get out on time. To do the best job I can in an 8 hour day, come home, and leave the work at work. And then...well, I take it one day at a time and try to make it through the week, month, year, and beyond.
Work is important, and it has its place. Time, however, is something that I can never get back. Over-investing time in work is like feeding a bad stock more money. Rather than admit that I am making a bad investment, I convince myself that if I just keep putting in more and more time, there will be a big pay off. This is a more dangerous gamble than the stock market. One can always figure out a way to make more money and recoup loss. I am destroying my health, my relationships, and my attitude, and I can never get back the extra, pointless time that I am giving work.
This must stop...I will stop.
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