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This week: 8 signs you work too much and play too little
(And three steps to help you change!)

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This week:
8 signs you work too much and play too little

Dear Friends,

This week, I'd like to share a column that I share in this month's Life Enrichment Challenge. One Wednesday afternoon a few years ago, I finished a client meeting early. It was about 4:30 p.m., and normally, I would have headed back to my office just a few minutes away. But on this day, I decided to do something I rarely did at that hour - go home. After running a couple of errands, I stepped through my front door at 5:58 p.m. It felt strange arriving home while the sun was still up. In fact, I tried to recall the last time I'd made it home that early. It was sad to admit, but it had been over a year!
It was on that day that I decided to make some changes. When you're passionate about what you do and your very livelihood depends on it, it can be tempting to allow work to take over your life. Whether you work for yourself or someone else, it's important to the quality of your life that you don't spend so much time working that there is no time left for relationships, fun, and of course, you!
Americans work more hours each year than people in any other society in the Western world. We live in a culture that tends to value work and the attainment of money more than any other accomplishment. Because work is so highly valued, overworking often goes unnoticed or is praised. It is a problem that could make your life less fulfilling and more stressful. This week, I want to challenge you to look at how you spend your time as it relates to work. Consider your responses to these statements to determine if you are working too much and playing too little:

DANGER SIGNS THAT YOU MAY BE OVERWORKING
--> You talk about work more than any other topic.
--> Your work often replaces time with friends and social outings.
--> Your home is a second office.
--> You consistently work overtime, whether there is a pressing deadline or not.
--> You take work, and even your laptop or handheld computer, with you on trips (such as a family reunion, vacation, weekend trip, etc).
--> Work provides more joy in your life than anything else.
--> You feel that sleep and personal time cut into your work time.
--> The last time you took vacation time was more than six months ago.

If more than half of these statements describe you, it is likely that you are overworking. Changing your behavior is your choice. Here are some steps to start balancing your professional and personal time better:

1. Identify the source of the problem.
Any excessive behavior is usually rooted in a desire to fill a void of some sort in our lives. Ask yourself what you are getting from working so excessively. Is your marriage or personal life in trouble, and work serves as an escape for you? Does your primary identity or self-worth come from your work? Do you have a fear of failure that causes you to overwork for success? Pray for understanding and the wisdom and courage to overcome it. Ask your family and friends to support your efforts to make a change.

2. Choose your priorities and align your actions with them.
Remember the old adage, "Actions speak louder than words." Make sure that you spend your time in such a way that your primary relationships - with God, yourself, and loved ones - are your true priorities. What we give our attention to grows, and what we starve of our attention, withers away. If your career gets all of your attention, it will grow, while your spiritual and personal life slowly, but surely will begin to decline.

3. Make appointments with yourself and the people you care about.
Take care of yourself by scheduling time to pamper yourself, relax, have fun or simply do nothing. What do you want to do for fun? What would help you unwind? If working too much is an issue, schedule time with your spouse, yourself, family or friends just like you would schedule time for a meeting for work.

My challenge to you this week: Take action!
Spend your time in a way that honors all aspects of your life. Take action over the next seven days to engage fully and passionately in your work, but when it's time to stop working, leave your work at work. Refuse to talk about it after hours, and instead focus other important aspects of your life.

Until next time ...

Warm wishes,
Valorie

Valorie Burton is a bestselling author, life coach and regular media guest on topics of living a more fulfilling, less stressful life. Her latest book, Listen to Your Life, identifies seven principles to hear what your life is saying to you and fulfill your purpose in your career, finances, relationships, health and spiritual life.

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