Getting to that particular plateau at work, or in your business, reaching that pinnacle level of success, like anything else in life, has it’s points of no return where you need to give something up to get something back.
This ultimate expense, if you feel that your falling into the trap of becoming a Workaholic, can unfortunately result in you sacrificing your long term happiness, health, and well being.
There’s no doubt that when situations get hectic, when the hill appears too steep to climb, you as a result will attempt to show your worth by working a lot harder, as well as longer hours.
This situation then falls under the law of “cause and effect,” as the chronic stress will invariably interfere with your personal life, which directly affects your personal welfare.
Individuals are now required to push themselves even harder than they’ve ever done before, usually to unhealthy levels, just to experience the same level of success that they’ve previously had.
These high pressure situations do eventually take their toll. So listed are a few solutions to the most common and chronic identifiable traits and habits of a workaholic, and how you could correct them.
Not Properly Relaxing
Experiencing a little bit of stress will usually work in favor for you as a motivational prod, while also keeping you alert and focused, but too much stress, especially the chronic kind will begin taking it’s toll on the body.
The symptoms on your health includes: upset stomachs, constant headaches, problems sleeping, high blood pressure, muscle tension, sudden weight gain or loss, and chest pains.
Replacing Work For Sleep
Even the most accomplished of business professionals still require 7 to 9 hours of sleep on a nightly basis, no exceptions, and you’re not able to catch up on this sleep that you lost on the weekends, just doesn’t work that way.
Skimping on sleep results in the following: difficulty concentrating, becoming irritable, and memory problems resulting in poor judgment. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain.
Always Eating On The Run
Make sure that you maintain a healthy well balanced diet which includes complex carbohydrates, protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables as your daily ingredients, thus allowing you to stay as mentally sharp as possible.
Avoid all of the convenient foods and meals, such as: frozen dinners, processed food, and fast food as much as possible. They’re all usually high in sodium, preservatives, bad fat, and calories.
Working When You’re Sick
What you most commonly hear in the office place is to stay at home if you’re sick, but that’s exactly what most workaholics won’t do, this at the expense of others and themselves.
This because they’re either worried about their jobs, anxious, or are unwilling to fall behind on their work. The reason why you should stay at home when ill is because your less productive and no one wants you to spread your germs around. When sick, the more bed rest that you get, the sooner you’ll recover.
Not Exercising Enough
The human body just isn’t designed to sitting stationary behind a desk for 8 to 10 hours a day. So it’s vitally important that you get at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise on a daily basis, this for your immediate as well as long term health.
Developing a consistent exercising routine has also proven to reduce the risk of practically every major disease known, while also fighting off anxiety, stress, and depression.
Avoiding The Annual Medical Checkups
These concise annual medicals are required and recommended to detect any potential or present medical problems as early as possible, as you need to know exactly what’s going on in your body.
It’s also recommended that you do a comprehensive screening exam once every other year, and more frequently depending on your age, lifestyle, and family illness history.
Drinking And Smoking To Excess
Research by health experts recently revealed that moderate alcohol consumption can actually reduce the risk of a variety of hazards, including anything from rheumatoid arthritis to heart disease risk. “Moderation” being the key word.
Generally, males should keep their drinking to no more than two per day of 1 – 1.5 oz. of hard alcohol, one bottle of 12 oz. beer, or a 6 oz. glass of wine. Women who aren’t pregnant should be limiting themselves to just one drink a day. When it comes to smoking… well you know already.
For the chronic workaholics out there, as the long working days turn into years, which rolls into decades, something will eventually give out. So if you’re someone who is continuously prone to burning the candle at both ends, know that the flame will eventually flicker out, this much quicker then intended.
So at the end of the road, you need to reflect if it was all worth it. What you need to do is conscientiously maintain a healthy work and leisure balance, which leads towards a happier and healthier life overall.