Finding the Balance
Phil White
Hard work is extolled in our society, and even in the Bible. But it seems we’ve taken this supposed virtue and added globalization, copious amounts of caffeine and unlimited Blackberry access to create a society in which our worth is almost solely defined by what we do. It’s time to take a step back and restore healthy balance to our lives. Here are 10 ways you can get started.
1. Observe the Sabbath
After God had spent six days creating the earth, He rested on the seventh day and sanctified it. In Exodus 20: 8:10, we’re instructed: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work” (TNIV). This isn’t just a suggestion—Sabbath observance is the fourth of the Ten Commandments. Going to church and then coming home to plug in your laptop so you can work the rest of the day just won’t cut it. If you know there’s a big meeting or a final coming up at the start of the week, push yourself hard on the previous Thursday and Friday. Bottom line: If a day of rest is good enough for God, it’s good enough for you, too.
2. Unplug From TechnologyDr. Bryan Robinson, author of Chained to the Desk, calls technology “the opium of our generation,” and few of us can claim we’ve never felt something of a rush when using a tech toy. But just because you’ve got a new, flashy cell phone, Blackberry or iPhone doesn’t mean you have to answer it, even if your company’s paying for it. Weekends and evenings are what the “ringer off” setting is designed for, so use it. You won’t be able to check work email if you don’t plug in your laptop, and let’s be honest: What could have happened at your job that’s so urgent it needs your immediate attention at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night?
3. Get a HobbyGet a gym membership, sign up for a service project or become part of a whitewater rafting club. It doesn’t matter what you do, just commit to any new activity or rediscover an old hobby that requires you to dedicate at least one night a week to it. If you’re worried that you’ll start skipping it so you can work, get involved in a group activity that will depend on your participation or ask someone to keep you accountable. At first you may feel like you’re slacking, but you’ll find life more invigorating, meet new people and have something more to talk about than another oh-so-exciting 70-hour work week. If you don’t believe that having no interests outside of work is lame, rent In Good Company and see how much fun Topher Grace’s character has when he’s living in his office.
4. Set and Enforce Reasonable BoundariesTrust us, your boss doesn’t work that much overtime, despite what he or she may claim, and your professors didn’t study 24/7 when they were in school. That’s because they learned that to be successful you don’t have to devote every spare minute to work. If you’re toiling far too long each week because of the unrealistic expectations of others, the only one who can change the situation is you. Tell your boss you’ll work as hard as you can during the week and occasionally put in overtime when it’s needed—but that’s it. Be respectful when you do this, and you’ll get respect back. Once the boundary is set, enforce it by not checking or returning voicemails and emails after hours. Your boss and co-workers will soon realize that you’re serious, and as long as you don’t slack when you’re at work, you’ll be in the clear.
5. Stop ProcrastinatingHow long do you spend each workday on the Web? If the answer is more than your one-hour lunch break, there’s a problem. It’s all too tempting to write emails, update your MySpace page or check out the latest dumb celebrity video on YouTube, but each trip to your Web browser halts your work momentum. Even responding immediately to colleagues’ voicemails, IMs and emails adds up, eventually creating a mountain between you and what you need to get done before the end of the day. Leaving projects until the last minute can be even worse, as it creates unnecessary pressure and can leave you unprepared for that important presentation to your boss. If you plan ahead, particularly for big projects, and block off time daily during which phone, IM and email are off limits, you’ll have no problem getting tasks finished. “Productivity studies show that the most effective workers don’t procrastinate and only respond to email twice a day, because any more than that interrupts the flow of work,” Karen Sumberg, of the Center for Work-Life Policy, says.
6. Reassess Your PrioritiesYou’ll probably claim that your relationships with family, friends and God are more important to you than work, but your daily schedule may tell a different story. To find out if your work habits are detracting from the rest of your life, we’ve devised a simple exercise. Write a list of the five things that are most important to you. Then, each day for a week, log how much time you’re devoting to these activities. At the end of the week, add up the figures. Even for people who don’t struggle with workaholism, work will probably be number one on the list—and that’s OK, but if the things you value most are getting little or none of your time, you’re working too much. Just creating these two lists can help you rediscover what is important to you, and how much work you need to cut back on to be truly happy.
7. Go to CounselingIf you know you’re struggling with workaholism and just can’t break the cycle of one extreme work week on top of another, you may need professional help. Admitting you have a problem doesn’t mean you’re weak. On the contrary, it shows that you have the strength to change your situation for the better. A counselor can help identify why you feel compelled to work long hours, how your work habits are damaging yourself and those around you and what you can do to free yourself from the shackles of workaholism. If you’re married or in a serious relationship, couples or family therapy can also help the people affected by your overwork tendencies talk through the resentment, bitterness and loneliness they may be feeling.
8. Create a BudgetDebt is one of the main causes of workaholism. Student loans and rent or mortgage payments may be unavoidable, but spending too much on a car, putting every expense on your credit card and even going through the Starbucks drive-through every day can put your finances in a dire state that demands working extra hours to pay for excessive spending. Websites such as Mvelopes.com divide your income between customizable categories such as housing, car, entertainment and tithe to help you manage your finances more responsibly. If you can break the habit of overspending, there will be one less reason to live in the office. That George Constanza nap area under your desk isn’t that comfortable anyway, is it?
9. Get PerspectiveSometimes it’s hard to examine ourselves to find areas of fault or weakness, and denial is one of the key factors that stops people from identifying and then dealing with workaholism. Ask a colleague, family member, friend or someone else you trust to discuss your work habits. Does this person think you spend too much time working? Have there been negative changes in your mood and personality since you started working longer hours? A few minutes of honest dialogue may seem uncomfortable, but it will give you a valuable outside view of your working life that could help you make the first step in overcoming workaholism.
10. Read The BibleSeveral books in the Bible, particularly Proverbs, advocate hard work, calling those who don’t have jobs “sluggards.” However, contrary to what many Christians have come to believe, Scripture does not encourage or exalt extreme work habits. The third of the Ten Commandments says, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Too often we let work become a false idol, to which we sacrifice relationships and time with the one true God. Making time to study the Word, to pray and to be in fellowship with other believers helps re-center our focus on the Lord and to put work in its proper place—as an important part of our lives but not the reason to live.
