Nine Reasons You Work Too Hard (and how to stop)

Do you push yourself to your absolute limits? If so, then you may have underlying issues which you need to explore.

Below are nine of the most common causes of workaholism.

1. No role models when growing up for showing self compassion
2. Having an inner slave driver
3. Childhood conditioning
4. An escape from loneliness, anxiety or depression
5. Your self worth and self esteem tied to your accomplishments
6. Ambition
7. Greed
8. Financial pressures
9. Unhappy marriage or home life

To combat the compulsion to overwork try the following:

1.  Imagine you are on your deathbed and are looking back over your life. Make a list of the highlights. What was most meaningful and memorable? Did rushing around and pulling all nighters make it to that list?
2. Instead of stressful multitasking, get involved in one activity per day for example playing golf or filing papers. No matter if it is work or pleasure related, enjoy focusing your full attention and energy on that one thing and enjoy the peace, satisfaction and joy this brings.
3. Practice self compassion! You are hereby given permission to have regular down times to do something for yourself that you enjoy - yes, you do deserve it! This can be as simple as stopping what you are doing to play to a favourite song, or having an afternoon nap - the details are up to you.

Realize that you are creating the compulsion to overwork and that by regularly practicing self compassion you can resist this compulsion.

Say NO to your inner slave driver and YES to self compassion - your future self will thank you for it!