Workaholic
Are you a workaholic? I go through bouts where you can’t pull me away from my computer (not to play World of Warcraft, but actually working) and then I get burnt out and go through phases where thinking about the computer makes me sick. Still trying to get into a routine of moderation, but rarely has anything in my life been done in moderation. Are any of you out there workaholics? If you are a former workaholic how did you find the right pace of productivity and happiness?
It seems when I think I am not productive I bust my ass to try and catch up to make myself feel better when all along all I had to do is be consistent with my work. What I need to do gets done, that’s nothing to worry about, but it would be nice to get it done during a normal phase and not an “oh shit I need to get on the ball” type of phase.
I only bring this up because this funny commercial reminded me of what I never want to become:
Video via It’s Useless.
Related reading:
I got married and became the father of two kids.
Once you realize you’re telling a little one (or your spouse) “just a sec, I’m busy…” a little too often, you’ll come to quickly realize being successful goes way beyond being a workaholic and that moderation, or really a good healthy balance of work, is the key.
By Mark on February 8, 2006 7:05 pm
Crap. If you want to fix that blockquote tag for me, that would be greatly appreciated.
My son interrupted me while I was typing.
;)
By Mark on February 8, 2006 7:07 pm
Haha, well it would be nice to avoid the marriage/kids thing for at least a couple more days so I need another alternative.
By Scrivs on February 8, 2006 7:13 pm
Ok. So how’s this, courtesy of Pink Floyd -
-
“And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you’re older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
-
I think you’re smart enough to make the analogy to being a workaholic.
By Mark on February 8, 2006 7:21 pm
Oddly enough Shivani posted about being a workaholic earlier this week and I, too, followed up.
By dreams on February 8, 2006 7:34 pm
I’m 20, engaged, have a really good social life outside of work. I spend a lot of my spare time just cruising, enjoying everything outside of work.
but still, all day long, my brain is work related.
I guess when your really passionate about something, you never really let go.
By Steven Carlisle on February 8, 2006 8:14 pm
This is so true. I’m a uni student (that’s college, if you’re American), and I really do find that the rate at which I work increases hyperbolically as the deadline approaches. I always think how great it would be if I could work with such efficiency when the deadline wasn’t looming; all my work would get done in no time at all. I just thrive off the pressure.
By Andrew Ho on February 8, 2006 8:56 pm
So, are we talking about being a workaholic or a procrastinator? There’s a huge difference.
By Mark on February 8, 2006 9:13 pm
I can’t say I am able to offer any advice as I too am a workaholic - my husband is a net widow as a result. Getting married doesn’t mean it is resolved at all - didn’t work for me. I would say ultimately if you are passionate and enjoy what you do then it isn’t an issue. I do get what you mean about the spirts work phases -I often go through that myself (going through one currently). Maybe efficiency is something to work towards not an instant thing - altho considering I’ve been doing this for a rather long time maybe it’s just me not learning.
By karmatosed on February 9, 2006 3:23 am
“…Getting married doesn’t mean it is resolved at all…”
Of course it doesn’t. Marriage / family in and of themselves are not the magic pill to resolving anything.
They are, however, one of those in your face, kick in the pants reminders that you have other just as important (perhaps more important) priorities that need as much time, attention and “work” as what you are currently involved with.
By Mark on February 9, 2006 7:27 am
I wouldn’t consider myself a workaholic really.
What really gets to me is lack of motivation. I struggle to find the motivation to get started on a project or work, but the annoying thing is that when I start I normally don’t stop till I drop. Then it happens over again.
I think that it’s all self control and discipline.
By Alienfish on February 9, 2006 7:30 am
I would dare to suggest that getting married isn’t enough of a pull - it’s the kid factor. When there’s a 2 year old tugging on your arm wanting you to throw her green rubber ball or play in her toy castle, saying “no” and turning back to face the computer can only happen a few times. Guilt, neglect and an overall feeling of lameness really hit home.
Within a marriage or dating relationship, you’re dealing with an adult who you can reason with and talk to. You can likely find a compromise that still fits your, honestly, selfish needs. When it’s a child (or children for those of us with more than one) the ante gets upped 10 fold.
By Geof Harries on February 9, 2006 11:15 am
First of all, don’t feel bad because when I clicked on your link to It’s Useless and I saw the Scrivs copyright, I was like “geez, how many sites does this guy run?!”
But, I think Andrew’s onto something:
This is true for me. I’ve never been steady and consistent with my work. I also tend to have bouts of high productivity and creativity, and then sort of crash and loaf around like a sloth for a bit, I guess to recover.
I think this is really common for creative people, I certainly saw it a lot in art school. But, if you’re looking for tips here’s one that’s helped me recently: when you’re working and you’re on a roll and really digging what you’re working on, take that moment to take a break, go for a run or bike ride or do some errands, get outside. It’s easy to work 12 hrs straight when you’re in the zone, but that’s the best time to stop and do something else. You’ll find that you’re still just as much in the zone when you return to work, and you won’t feel quite so sloth-like. Plus, that time away gives you fresh eyes when you return. Try it!
By Sally Carson on February 9, 2006 12:11 pm
*nods head…
I agree. In 2005, I spent probably too much time on the computer actually working on stuff (some personal projects, some work projects) with the intention to make more $$$ so that our lives (my family’s) would be easier.
Well, not only were they not easier because the $$$ didn’t come in as planned, but it caused many arguments with my wife (while she was pregnant) and I actually regret the time I did spend on the computer and not with her, even though we were in the same room, literally.
So with that said, now that I have a new baby boy, I have reorganized my time schedule so I have my “work” days (in terms of work AFTER my actual full time job) and family time. Family is very important to me and how I raise my son is very important so I agree that having a family definitly alters your previous priorities, but in a good way.
Scrivs, I am surprised you don’t follow To-Done more often :) give it’s in the 9rules network.
Probably the best way to stream line your work process is just to determine what you want to do on x amount of days.
Mon, Wed, Fri could be 9rules related days. Tues could be a day off, and thursday could be where you focus on another project. Heck, I don’t know whats on your plate…but that would be the best way to just figure out what works best for you.
my 2 cents.
By Bryan on February 9, 2006 12:33 pm
I try everything I can to make sure that I step away from my computer every-so-often. Having a 4-year-old does help accomplish that, but when I start to work on something after she’s gone to bed, I have no real way to stop myself.
By amber on February 9, 2006 2:57 pm
Any update on the domain contest? I know fffnbsp won, but any second prize for me? 3 of my suggestions made it to your top 10. :)
Also, I attribute your not posting the results to the lack of your workaholic work ethic. I guess congrats are in order for not being a workaholic?
By David on February 9, 2006 7:15 pm
Sorry no 2nd place prizes :-)
Also if WS is considered working then yes you might say there is a lack of workaholism, but me getting up at 6:30am after going to bed at 2:00am to work on the other stuff that makes us money would suggest otherwise :-P.
By Scrivs on February 9, 2006 7:20 pm
I don’t know, personally I revel in the “oh shit I need to get on the ball” phase.
By Angela on February 9, 2006 8:27 pm
I had never made the connection between this kind of behavior and being a workaholic. I just thought of it as being a procrastinator. A friend of mine described my working style as being cat-like…a huge frenzy of activity, followed by a lot of napping.
External structure (outside me) that gives you a sense of validation and happiness seems to be the most effective moderator in my case; I’d say having the spouse and kids is in that general category. External structure without value sucks ass, and I avoid it. External structure that doesn’t give frequent regular feedback on your progress also sucks ass, and is a waste of time. Finding a common definition of “value” and “feedback” that’s useful to both giver and receiver is what’s tricky.
Since I don’t enter into group arrangements that impose structure on me very easily (I’m picky), I tend to have to rely on myself for this, and I get tired of it and end up being sick of the computer. I like working and getting a tangible result. Lately I’ve been mixing it up by networking regularly with more face-2-face with other people in creative fields (this being a result of being sick of the computer), and this was more energizing. However, it also tends to lead to MORE projects that I’d like to do, and then a different kind of frustration grows.
I haven’t figured out how to balance it, but keeping focused on a couple of really meaty high-yield projects, and then allowing my head to decompress between them, seems to work a little better. Moderation for me is maintaining a smooth pipeline of work, social relationships, recognition, and accomplishment without too many disruptions or hyperextensions of effort. I also want to avoid is becoming a drone, but so long as I’m trying to create my own original stuff to make money from, I don’t think that will happen. In the worst case I’ll fail spectacularly :-)
By Dave Seah on February 10, 2006 12:28 pm
OK, my dear, it is really fine to be workaholic. But it does not mean not to enjoy your life. Life is beautiful, it has many colours. They are yet to be explored. Go have fun and explore them. Have a good fun.
By jane on February 11, 2006 2:55 am
That commercial is hilarious.
I get the same way, though. I can never find a happy median. It’s either work all day and all night or not feeling like working at all. It’s either fun or work, it’s very difficult to seperate the two, but I definitely need to work on that, so I’m not always so stressed.
By Chris Fehnel on February 14, 2006 4:33 pm