There’s a fine line between hard work and working too hard. Unfortunately, overworking comes with many consequences. It’s important to know the difference between being a workaholic and a good employee. If you’re not sure which category you fall under, check out these signs that you might be working too hard for your own good.
Do you spend hours working almost every weekend? Although it’s OK to work weekends once in a while, you shouldn’t make a habit of it. You deserve time away from the office, and your career could depend on it. When you spend all of your free time working, you increase your risk of burning out.
If you start developing a pattern of working on the weekend, think of a way to remedy the issue. How can you finish your work during the week? In some cases, you may be able to become more efficient and finish your tasks in the office. You might need to delegate work to someone else or go to work an hour early during the weekday.
Whatever the solution may be, you need time to decompress. You should spend your weekends doing the things you love. For some, this could mean spending time with the family. Others might need to do their favorite hobby or spend time outdoors. Find something that recharges you and makes you refreshed for the coming week.
Stress and anxiety take a toll on your mental health. If you constantly feel anxious about your job, you could be a workaholic. You might need to take a step back to reduce your anxiety and to get more from your time at work.
If you’re anxious about work when you’re at home, it’s only a matter of time before your performance suffers. You could also damage your personal relationships. If you feel like you should be at work when you’re not on the clock, reevaluate your priorities and change your mindset.
There’s no reason to feel guilty when you’re not working. No matter how difficult your boss might be, they can’t expect you to work 24 hours a day. If they put unreasonable pressure on you, it may be time to consider changing your employer. At the very least, you should start looking into the job market and finding out if other employers have the same unrealistic expectations of their employees.
People who are workaholics often feel bad about going on vacation. They might fear what could happen in the few days they leave the office. Unfortunately, this is unhealthy. Weekends and nights don’t give you enough time away to fully recharge your batteries. If you really want to unwind, you need a vacation.
According to research, taking a vacation could improve your productivity as well as your creativity. Think about the last time you went on vacation. If you can’t recall your last getaway, it’s time to start planning a trip. Remind yourself that business will continue whether or not you’re in the office. If you have concerns about your absence, speak to your employer.
Some people throw themselves into their work to hide from issues at home. For instance, you might increase your hours at work to hide from grief, or to avoid financial troubles at home. If you’re working to get away from problems, you’re a workaholic, and you’re not doing yourself any favors.
In this case, you’re suppressing your emotions. Eventually, the problems will come to a head. You should think about why you’re working so much. If you’re hiding from something, think of how you can address the issue head-on.
Workaholics tend to skip their lunch breaks to get work done. And although you might think working through lunch will boost your productivity, you could experience the opposite effect. By skipping lunch, you take away a much-needed break.
Productivity tends to increase when people take set breaks. If you work for six hours straight, you might get the same amount of work done you would by working six hours with breaks. The breaks reinvigorate you and allow you to return to work with more energy and new ideas.
It’s acceptable to work early or leave late from work at certain times. But are you doing this every day? You shouldn’t always be the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave. If you are, you can be sure you’re working too hard.
When people work excessive hours, they lose productivity. A 60 hour work week doesn’t guarantee productivity and indicates that it’s time to slow down at the workplace. If you haven’t already seen a decrease in productivity, it’s coming soon. Figure out why you’re working such long hours and think about how you can change your schedule.
Even if you love your job, it’s not enough to keep you content and productive. You need to find a way to disconnect from work, and that means having a hobby. If your job is the only thing you live for, consider taking up a new hobby or reconnecting with an old hobby.
A hobby isn’t necessarily something major or expensive. If you like music, your hobby could be playing the guitar or finding new artists. Others might read books or go to parks. As long as your hobby has nothing to do with your day job, it should leave you feeling refreshed.
If you’re a workaholic, it’s time to sit down and think about your future. Your work habits could keep you from a promotion or lead to burnout. Instead of helping your career, your excessive hours at work could ruin it.
Whatever you reason might be for being a workaholic, you should consider a change. Whether you change your schedule, change your employer, or change your mindset, your career can greatly benefit.
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