Tips for workaholics: learning to work more calmly, but more efficiently

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Workaholics take on too much responsibility, overwork, and burn out. The saddest thing is that it is unjustified and does not benefit either the workaholic's career or his company. Why the work of a “workaholic superhero” is most often ineffective and how to increase productivity by working measuredly and calmly, read below.

Workaholics are not heroes. They don't save time, they waste it. The real hero is already at home at this time, because he found a way to get the job done faster.

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson Rework

How can a person bring themselves to burnout at work? Maybe he is forced by a demanding boss or capricious clients do not understand what it means to "wait" and demand all the work in an unrealistic timeframe?

Yes, it happens, but most often it is not the boss or the clients who are to blame, not even the colleagues who “cannot do anything normally,” but the person himself.

Work absorbs all the free time of a workaholic, and he is constantly in tension. Stress brings illness, an incredible work schedule creates problems on the personal front.

But even if a workaholic realizes the depth of the problems and tries to get rid of at least some cases, then a bunch of new ones will immediately pile up, and he will still be overwhelmed with work around the clock.

This is because it’s not the amount of work that matters, but the very attitude to it.

Superhero complex and fear of deadlines

Now we are not talking about those happy people who experience creative upsurge and inspiration, who stay after work not because they have to, but because they are so caught up in their work. We are talking about those who bear the burden of responsibility for completing work on time, about those who take on more and more cases and do not get much pleasure from doing them. The superhero complex forces you to take responsibility for everything.

As a rule, this complex is found in people with a hypertrophied sense of responsibility, moreover, for things that are not worth such attention.

It seems to them that answering a dozen emails is so important and urgent that because of this, you can skip a family dinner or a meeting with friends, and the project deadline is more important than their own health and a visit to the doctor. There is a sense of sacrifice in this, and often the "superhero" really gets high from her.

Look at your affairs. Are all your calls so important that they cannot be delayed? Do all emails require an immediate response? Maybe more than half of your "urgent" answers are not read at all, or they could just as well read it in a week.

This does not mean that it is worth giving up everything and plunging into blissful idleness, it is just worthwhile to look sensibly at your tasks. Surely you attach much more importance to many things than they deserve.

Another factor that can make a person hang out in the office all night long is the fear of late deadlines and frustrated customers. How do you deal with these fears?

First, the fact that you are afraid of disappointing the customer does not mean at all that you have to do everything yourself. Employees are likely to do better on some tasks than you think.

Secondly, it is worth immediately considering the real terms, taking time with a margin. Almost all customers will agree to wait; in the end, a good result requires time.

Haste as a way to escape reflection

We used to think that successful people are always busy. If our schedule isn't packed enough, we feel insignificant. People who go on vacation, or even just have a long lunch, seem lazy and unworthy of trust in a business environment.

Everyone has heard about the inevitable burnout that overtakes people who work hard. But workaholics tend to forget about these "fairy tales." They strive to fill their schedule as tightly as possible, to scatter all the activities and habits in time and to make sure that there is no free time left at all.

Maybe they are just afraid of what life will turn into if they suddenly stop rushing and focus?

Deep down, we all fear that we’re not wasting our time on the right things. It’s safer to just keep up the pace, do a ton of things, and constantly rush through it than diving into introspection with possible unpleasant discoveries.

Our crazy days are really just protection from emptiness.

Tim Crader NYTimes.com

Slow does not mean ineffective

If you have a habit of constantly rushing and doing a lot of things, it may seem that a measured pace of work does not work, that working slowly is the same as messing around. This is a gross mistake.

If time is used correctly, slowness can be one of the best sources of efficiency. There are companies that work calmly but efficiently; there are people who are in no hurry, but they manage to do everything.

Such companies do not save lives and do not wage war, they are fully aware that they are simply providing services, and their owners and employees live life to the fullest. They work from nine to six, and even less on Friday, do not answer calls at night and are unavailable on weekends. They have clear boundaries, and they provide clients with feasible and fair deadlines. Business is booming and everyone is happy.

Sounds cool, you thought, but what about the beliefs of my boss, company, clients?

Maybe you're right. Sometimes working late is simply necessary, for example, when you yourself have created a problem and you need to fix it in your free time.

Sometimes, before starting a task, you need to get comfortable with new tools, and you can spend your free time on that too.

In addition, some businessmen continue to do their business after working hours because they love it and are genuinely taken over by it, and not because they are afraid to miss the deadline.

But this does not mean that you cannot achieve a pleasant harmony between work, rest and play. How to do it? Start searching, trying and finding your schemes. This process will surely become fun for you, although not always easy.

Here are eight ways to slow down without sacrificing performance. Try them this week, start today or tomorrow.

1. Slow down

Someone once said, "The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat." When we calm down and slow down the pace of work, priorities become more apparent.

If you are more busy than you would like to be, slow down and focus on the here and now moment. Be in the present, pay attention to where your energy is going. Gradually, healthy priorities will permeate your life.

2. Don't try to be a hero

Stick to a schedule that you can handle, and complete as many tasks as possible without sacrifice on your part. Nobody dies if you stop for a while.

3. Go home

Leave the office at 6:00 pm or earlier if possible. Have dinner with family or friends, relax, finally get some sleep. When you return to work in the morning, you will feel more alert and focused.

4. Reduce the number of meetings

Sometimes meetings are necessary and enjoyable, but more often they are just a waste of time. Politely ask employees or your boss if there is an easier way to make a decision. Take the initiative, come up with a new solution that will avoid meetings.

5. Stay in silence

Turn on the "Airplane" mode - this will save you from incoming calls and messages. It won't be easy, but you will be able to fully focus on the business and turn on your smartphone only when you really need it.

And stay away from social media and email - these are still useless time killers that only add fuss and create the illusion of being busy.

6. Leave the office for lunch

Read a book, take a walk, go to a museum - do anything to change your surroundings and disconnect from work for a while. And do not forget to turn on the "Airplane" mode.

7. Avoid multitasking

It is ineffective, and if someone convinces you otherwise, then he is lying. Better to leave more time for a specific task and do not allow employees to drag you to the completion of others.

At first, they may be unpleasantly surprised by your refusal to help and get involved in the work, but then they will get used to the fact that if you ask not to interfere for some time, then you need to do so.

8. Say no

When you decide whether to take responsibility for some business or entrust others, to stay after work or not, ask yourself what is your desire dictated by: fear or love? If out of fear, politely decline and offer an alternative is another opportunity to be creative.

Try to follow these guidelines for a week. I think you will be surprised at how much more beautiful, free and smoother your time becomes and how much you can get done.