Sigh! This topic is close to my heart. I am still very much a workaholic even though I no longer work in a corporation but on my own now. Sometimes, I think it might be even worse, running my own business that I have given a slip once or twice to allow my work take over my life. These are signs that you are allowing your work to ruin your life. If you recognise yourself with any of these signs, you better curb it and change it around before you get a breakdown.

Forgotten To Eat

Working in a contact centre, I often have to skip meals due to piling workload. When there are calls pouring in through the hotline, you don’t just put customers on hold to grab a bite before you take the next call. This has disastrous results on my health and I am often seen clutching at my sides due to gastric pains. Not eating properly means that I am not in tiptop shape that causes me to be sick more often than I wanted to until I change my habits.

Insomnia

I’m such a workaholic sometimes that thoughts surrounding my next project or the feedback given by my clients haunt me into the night and steals my sleep. I have learned that I need to let go and not be a control freak in order to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes it helps to note down my thoughts before I went to bed, other times, I have my trusty cats to sob my worries into their furs. I know a lot of people will speak to their doctor about sleeping pills, whilst others try things like melatonin supplements, CBD oil, and THC edibles. These are not things I know much about, although there is an article on Observer Media that discusses the latter in great depth. It’s all about finding something that works for you, as everyone is different. No matter what, if you are sleep-deprived, you can never be your best and give your best.

Can’t Put Down My Mobile

I was afraid of losing out. Be it missing an important email from my boss or a text message from my client, I couldn’t let go of my mobile, allowing it to be a constant companion. I’ll even panic when I’m low on battery life, fighting the urge to rush home just to charge my phone. Doesn’t help that iPhone eats up battery power as fast as I can gobble up sugary donuts. I have since practice leaving my mobile at home when I am out with my family or even turn it off when I’m playing with my baby.

Your Mind Wander

When my thoughts are full of pending work, I can’t give my full concentration on the task at hand. Whether I drifted off during a crucial meeting or I am stuck at the first paragraph of my article for hours, it makes my productivity level sucks. The only way is to clear my head (and sometimes my heart) in order to accomplish what is right now in my hands.

Can’t Stop Talking About Your Work

I so super duper guilty of this one, hands down! When I was at Apple, I can only gush about how great iPhone is and how ‘once you go Mac, you can never go back’. Now I am freelancing, I love to wear my pride on my sleeve that I am responsible for my own success. I must have bored my friends to tears and it’s a wonder that they are still friends with me!

Too Much Savings

It’s either you are really stingy with your money or you have no time to spend it. When you are surprised at how much you have accumulated your savings and kept rubbing your eyes at the enormous amount, take a look at your own life and ask yourself when is the last holiday you have taken, when have you gone on a shopping spree and heck, when is the last time you stepped into a cinema? If you are burdened with work, you will find that you are one rich fellow with no life outside work.

The Only Friends You Have Is The One Next To Your Cubicle

It is no surprise that your lunch buddy is from your workplace however, something is wrong if you are having dinner with the same person as well…on a weekend or a public holiday. If the closest friends you have are from your office, you’ll need to evaluate your social life. And no, Facebook friends doesn’t count.

Been there, done that and I know from personal experience that it is really hard to quit work when you are really passionate about what you do. However, think of taking a small break in order to walk further down the road. You are only as good as you are giving your 100 percent.

Are you like me, a workaholic and a perfectionist? Don’t let me be the lonely one, share your thoughts with us right in the comments below.