Recovering Workaholic

I have an unhealthy relationship to work.

For as long as I can remember, my connection to work had been all or nothing. There is nothing quite like the feeling of working really well on something I think is important, accomplishing a goal. It is like a drug, or alcohol, or sex, or food, or anything else that can be addictive.

Part of my work addiction is that I want to be perfect. I wanted to be the person who could always be relied on to get results. I wanted to be the person who could work with anyone and handle any situation. I would do what it took to get things done.

I am good at working. I am your go-to guy. Work is how I push away my own insecurities.

Work is how I control my life. By working harder, longer, even smarter than anyone else, I turn life into what I want it to be.

For years, I worked as hard as I could. When I took time off, I would get sick. It was as if I were going through withdrawal.

Eventually, finally, I got to the point where I was able to begin seeing. I needed to do more, even though I was already doing all I could. With a lot of help, I started to change the way I relate to work.

I am still learning and growing. I am recovering, not recovered. Each day is a new beginning.

Now I help other people explore how they relate to work and discover new ways of working in their worlds. There are ways to build a healthy relationship to work, and we build them.

Together we take one step at a time.

Are you hooked on work?

How could you have a healthier relationship to your work?

[Image by herval]