Unchain Your Desk:The Five Secrets for Breaking Workaholic Habits

By Barbara Bartlein

Rick Fischer knew his work was becoming a problem when a neighbour congratulated him on his daughter’s success at a soccer game and he knew nothing about it.

Janet Stockman questioned her work habits when she was diagnosed with hypertension after giving up exercise due to “lack of time.”

Whatever the trigger, more and more North Americans are evaluating their lives, careers, and the costs of overwork. The Baby Boomers are questioning whether the American dream truly means accumulating more things or more titles. Many are coming to the decision that they would rather have additional time with family than another bonus or promotion.

If you are looking for ways to regain control of your work habits, here are five secrets that will help:

• Break the overtime habit. Overtime, especially at a salaried position, should be a rare occurrence, not an everyday expectation. It is well known that we tend to expand work to fit the time allowed. Johnny Carson once noted, “If you have a whole week to produce a show, it takes a whole week. If you only have one day, it will take one day.” A short burst of overtime (a few days to a week) can be extremely productive. But productivity actually decreases with a long bout of overtime due to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and carelessness. Practice the Bermuda Syndrome; i.e., make each day as productive as the one before you leave on vacation.
  
  
• Train your boss. Do you know people at the office that always leave at a reasonable hour? This is because they have trained their boss. They have made it clear this is what they have to do. Whether because of children or other family responsibilities, they consistently leave after 8½ hours. (By the way, that’s what your pay is based on.) Let your boss know that you are committed to get the job done and done well but will not try to impress her with dramatic exhaustion.
  
  
• Turn off the “technology tethers.” Unless you are a transplant surgeon expecting a kidney to arrive on the next helicopter, there is very little reason to be perpetually on call. Most phone calls are routine and can be answered at your convenience. Don’t give out your cell phone number. Let people leave messages for you to answer later, then carve out an hour or two each day to return phone calls. Avoid faxes, e-mails, and work related phone calls after hours. And unless it is absolutely necessary, make it clear that you do not answer phone calls while on vacation.
  
  
• Help the company reduce the risk of failure. Overworked, tired employees make mistakes. They risk destroying credibility with external and internal customers because the job is not done right or they miss important deadlines. Keeping the workload realistic promotes success. Remember, under promise and over deliver and your customers and work teams will always be pleased.
  
  
• Buy family time. Yes, there are disadvantages to these approaches. Your lack of overtime may be viewed as lack of commitment to the company. But the tradeoff is more time with the family and time is a non-renewable resource. It is simply the price of a saner lifestyle with your time spent in the areas you view most important. Jobs come and go. You can’t replace your family.
  

Friday, February 22nd was the second annual National Slacker’s Day. Organizers said the aim of National Slacker Day 2 was to remind people that life does not revolve around the office. A day spent in bed or in front of the television can improve health and happiness. The official mandate to celebrate the day? Do Nothing! Actually, maybe this group is onto something.

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Barbara Bartlein is the PeoplePro™. She helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by email at: barb@barbbartlein.com or visit her Web site at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

Published in Networking Today, April 2002.