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You may be thinking that your life needs more balance, more
time spent at home and with friends and less time spent at work. Perhaps you
even mentioned this to your spouse, girlfriend, best buddy, doctor, or
co-workers.
If you have, at least one of these people probably raised an
eyebrow and explained the facts of life to you. That is, that nearly everyone is
overworked these days, and you should get used to it. Besides, your friend Joe
told you unsympathetically that he works a lot more hours than you do, so you
have no reason to complain.
Yet you still feel that nagging doubt. That feeling that you should be less
stressed, tired, and short on time, coupled with the knowledge that you cannot
seem to think clearly anymore, that you always forget family birthdays, and that
you rarely eat dinner before 10:00 p.m.
You should definitely listen to your own intuition and take control over your
life before you have no OTHER life than what exists in the workplace! But
if you still need convincing, or perhaps some more objective feedback, try this
little quiz:
Just answer True or False to each of these statements. Be honest!
1. I am spending more time than ever at work and on work-related projects
and activities.
2. I usually feel like I’ve run out of time at the end of the day, and I
worry about all the things that didn’t get done.
3. I have no time for myself, my family, or my friends.
4. I rarely get to visit with or talk to my family and friends.
5. Social meetings always seem rushed, and I find myself thinking about
what I have to get done, and how I should be elsewhere, instead of enjoying the
time with my family or friends.
6. On most days, every minute of every waking hour is scheduled with an
activity, or I have something urgent to accomplish.
7. I am not sure who I am anymore, and I often wonder why I chose this
job or career.
8. It is hard to recall my last vacation day or day off, or the last time
I just sat and read a book or relaxed.
9. I have very little fun anymore and rarely do something just because I
want to do it or because I think it will be pleasurable or fun.
10. I feel stressed out much of the time and find myself losing patience
easily.
11. It is sometimes hard to sleep at night and to unwind at the end of
the day.
12. My life is a blur. I feel like I have to keep moving from one thing
to the next with no time to catch my breath.
13. When I do sit down to read a book for pleasure, or to watch a movie
or TV, I find my mind wandering back to work related subjects, or I fall asleep
from exhaustion.
14. I want more time for entertainment, hobbies, and activities, but
never seem to get it.
15. I often have to postpone social engagements, appointments, or other
personal things, or am late to these appointments.
16. I wake up feeling very tired in the morning, and even after the
weekend, I feel exhausted.
17. It is hard to find the time to help my children with homework, talk
to my spouse or friend about their day, or just sit and write out checks.
18. People depend on my income, but they also expect me to be there for
important dates like birthdays and soccer games, and I often feel torn and
misunderstood.
19. I almost always bring some work home at the end of the day, and/or I
nearly always work for part of the weekend or on my days off.
If you answered True to less than five of these statements, you are not
overworked, and your life is in good balance. Just be sure to keep it that way!
If you answered True to more than eight of these statements, your life is
seriously out of balance.
If you answered True to more than twelve of these statements, you should
immediately start a program to regain control over your life, before stress and
overwork damage your health and relationships.
Stress is very real, and anyone who says you should just deal with it is
ultimately setting you up for failure–failure in relationships, failure to
protect your health, and in short, failure in life in general. In addition,
going to stress management workshops will only teach you to tolerate more
stress! So, the time to act is now. And the thing to do is find ways to control
your own life. When you do, you will be very surprised how much free time you
have and how much more you enjoy it!
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