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Today, despite the fact that it’s a national holiday, I really wanted to go into the office. Ultimately, I chose not to because that was the harder choice to make. If that statement makes no sense to you, then I’ll be honest, this article probably isn’t for you.
But if you, like me, are a compulsive workaholic, then today is as great a day as any to sit down and question why that is. Where does that behavior stem from? Why do you experience anxiety on a beach with no cell phone service? Why do you check your email first thing in the morning?
Chances are, you’ll be embarrassed by any honest answer. Because unless you are an oncologist, are busy saving the fucking planet, or literally will not make rent and eat this month if you don’t drive Uber all day every day, you can probably afford to take a few hours or wow, even a whole day off here or there.
If you struggle with taking time off, it’s more than likely that you just don’t want to, and that’s almost certainly a problem. Because work obsession is equally as harmful as work aversion on the psyche, on life outcomes, too.
So much of our compulsion to work so hard is based in ego. It’s deeply rooted in fear and avoidance behavior. We want to be the type of people that are always moving and shaking, the type that “make something” of themselves. Afraid…
