How do I know I’m overworked?

We often ask ourselves, did I do enough? Or, am I doing enough? The more you think, the more you worry. You think about how you’re not making enough, yet your bills and expenses continue to grow. You think about the hours still left in the business day, and how you got a late start that morning. You think you can push yourself through. But you also feel stressed and exhausted constantly, at the same time you ask yourself “are these worries a little excessive?”

No matter what you tell yourself, at the end of the day you are overworked, and change is necessary.

How and Why We Overwork Ourselves

Overworking is a very common occurrence in today’s world. Higher living expenses, the pressure of owning a home, maintaining a family, planning for retirement and the list goes on….

We as workers, often feel uncertain with many things including insecurity about our jobs. We value our careers, believing our identity comes from our work to survive, financially and emotionally. So, we keep going in our day to day jobs, for some to the detriment of long term work-life balance.

Sometimes, we blur the line between finding passion in our work and “I do the work as my job and for the money”. Finding a job you love is great, but setting boundaries around when the work is work and when it’s play can be difficult.

Not only do we find purpose, comfort, and satisfaction in working hard to make money, we’ve also grown to become a society that’s willing to push our mental health, physical health, and relationships to the side for those feelings.

How to stop overworking

  1. Work mindfully

Try to focus on the present moment as much as possible, instead of thinking of any past mistakes or future projects. Be mindful of your colleagues, eat, walk, and drive slowly if need be.

  1. Seek Balance

Ensure you balance out your day with ’me time’ to unwind. Eat nutritious food, complete regular exercise, and have sufficient sleep.

  1. Don’t multitask

Focusing on one task at a time is more calming, effective and productive in contrast to multitasking

  1. Unplug and Take breaks

Leave some time in your schedule to spend time with friends and family. Take holidays or time off to unravel and have fun.

  1. Ask for help

If managing work on your own is too difficult, seek help. You may find professional counselling, support groups or even your own personal concierge.

Finding time for yourself and maintaining work-life balance can be difficult. If you are struggling to manage the administrative aspects of your life, we are here to help! Contact Lisa today for more information.

- Lisa Hawkings