Are you over doing It?

Often people are “overdoing” it. What I mean is people get obsessive about their jobs, careers or businesses. They act like that is what defines them. They go out of balance trying to prove to their bosses, stakeholders, partners how hard they are working, by putting in uncalled for and unreasonable hours pretending to “work”. They ignore their families, friends, the rest of their soul – hobbies, music, nature, mountains, meditation, poetry, art and silence. Then when its gone…the job, business etc., they are sitting at pubs drinking, mopping and feeling sad for themselves, utterly lost, as if that is who they are.

A better solution would be to:

1) Keep decent hours at work. Unless absolutely necessary, leave office at the designated time. It is not a life or death situation if a small to-do gets done the next day. Is not the rest of your life as important as your job? Remember when someone employs you; you are giving not only your skills to that person/organization/entity but also your time (which is valuable). It’s amazing how many people are willing to give away their time freely to organizations and do not account for it.

2) Give space to your family and your hobbies. This can be done by accounting for your time and you can gain this time by leaving office on time or at a reasonable time. Stop trying to prove to your boss how hard you are working – show that through good work, not just the number of hours. Refuse to get overrun by a culture of leaving late from work. Set your own rules. Perhaps it may cost you a few rupees in an increment, but in the long run people will accept you for who you are and since you will be spending more time on soulful things, will wonder what makes you smile most of the time.

3) Do not let your job define you. Let your passions, feelings and hobbies define you. You work to earn your daily bread and so put it in perspective man. We all need to earn and live and be independent. Do that, but don’t sell your soul and time. Respect yourself enough to let your colleagues and bosses know you also value time with your passions, hobbies & family. That’s what makes you a full person and that way you can contribute best to the company’s goals as well.

4) Set clear boundaries between personal & official matters. Do not encourage work colleagues to call you for work after work hours (unless it is for a movie, then that’s fine). Do not respond or write work emails late in the night, when you should be doing other recreational activities, with your family or loved ones or writing a journal instead. Use your time in the office/business to write your work emails. In fact when in the office “be fully in the office” and work hard and well, & when out of office “be fully out of it”.

5) Remember organizations, companies, jobs will come and go, but “you” will remain, your feelings will remain, your thoughts will be there with you. So respect yourself and understand yourself and give yourself time & energy.

6) Exercise regularly.

Author: Dennis Taraporewala

Storyteller, Business Owner, Musician, Life Strategist. View all posts by Dennis Taraporewala