Are you overworking and where is it getting you?

Are you working more than a 40-45 hour week? Is it something your boss demands or is it something you just do? In today’s demanding society we are working longer and longer hours, often not eating properly, not exercising enough and in the long run not being as productive as we could be.

Eventually our health suffers – stress levels go up, family time goes down and our immune system gets run down. Then we wonder why we feel drained and fall asleep in front of the TV.

In the long run this affects management levels as employees become ill and don’t function to full capacity. Sick leave and retraining of staff also affects the employer so it is worthwhile coming up with a company plan to take your employees health into account.

Does the above sound familiar to you or do you know someone that is suffering from work addiction?

Question is, are you really that busy? Do you have too much work? Is it worth jeopardising your life and relationships? Here are a few quick questions to see just how you rate in terms of work addiction:

1. Do you work more than 45 hours a week?

2. Do you feel pressured if you don’t work late?

3. Does your diet or exercise time suffer because of your work?

4. Do you find it hard to unwind when you eventually do get home?

5. Do you miss sleep because of work?

6. Are you moody because you are so tired?

7. Do you spend too little time with the family and miss events you would enjoy because you are always working?

8. Do you automatically undertake more than can be done in a normal work week?

9. Do you get bored and look for things to do when not working?

10. When on holiday do you feel agitated if you don’t check your phone messages and email often?

How many of these answers received a ‘yes’? The more yes answers the closer you could be to being what is often termed a workaholic. If you’ve answered yes to more than half of the questions, it’s time to look at your health and family life before stress related illness sets in.

Take a look at your job. Are you appreciated for all those long hours? Does it make a big difference to your income and would it make a difference if your company decided they had to retrench? In terms of management, how much of a load are you putting on your employees and will it wear them out bringing unseen costs for temps when they take sick leave? What if you lost a valued employee because they simply burnt out? Is it worth it?

Are you having fun at your job or are you getting stressed? If so, then you maybe need to rethink. Let’s face it. You are there more than 8 hours a day and if you aren’t enjoying it then why are you really there?

In terms of management this means that if staff are not enjoying their work to some degree they are not working to their full capacity and could be more productive.

Is lack of confidence that you can get a better paid, more emotionally rewarding job holding you back? As a manager are you perhaps overlooking someone because they hide in the shadows? Do you have employees that lack confidence and could benefit from a personal development course to increase their productivity?

So if you fit the picture above what can you do? Firstly stop demanding so much of yourself and stand back and take a good long look. Be honest enough to ask why you are really doing the long hours and what the payoff is to you? Are you perhaps avoiding something? Could the time be better spent making new friends, exercising, doing that personal development course, and learning a new skill?

In terms of management are there new systems you can implement to make the work flow better, encourage productivity and take some of the pressure off the staff … and yourself? Sometimes it’s important to just STOP and take stock of where you are in life.