Oh hey there,
Oof, what a week. Things feel like they’re going at 100, maybe even 200 mph!
I’m not sure about you but I have to be really careful in these moments that I don’t just WORK all the time.
For I am, without a shadow of a doubt, a fully-signed up work-addict.
I was talking to my therapist about this, this week, and I have really come to understand that work is my ‘safe place’.
I would imagine there are some pretty core beliefs at the heart of it. Such as ‘not good enough’ or ‘alone-ness’ and tapping away on my keypad helps me overcome that.
- It’s a sense of immediate validation.
- I feel comforted by achievement and identity.
- It’s definitely about doing something purposeful.
And, to be crude, there is a direct link to work equalling commercial gain and, frankly, in my tiny, simple, fear-addled human brain, money means safety. I didn't have a particularly safe childhood and, if I can, as an adult do things that will comfort me easily and make me feel like 'I'm okay' then believe me, I am going to run with it.
Now, this is all well and good until it means that it’s taking over which I know I really run the risk of. Where work is the priority in my life. Over everything. ‘Get work done first. And then do life.’ And the problem with this is that, as you can imagine, is that life not only becomes very one dimensional but also, who wants a life where the vast majority of your view of the world starts and ends with a 30’ x 20’ screen?
Because here’s the thing, why do we work? For money? To buy all the things that we attribute success to? But what if that means that we miss out on all of the things in the meantime that come for free? Love, peace, joy, nature, family or freedom?
Look, this is a big topic, and certainly not one that I’m going to cover off in a few hundred words. However, I would urge you to come off autopilot and to really come into the conscious.
In an ideal world, how would you really like life to be? No, scrap that, start with this, how would you like to feel? And then, think about what a life would look like that could create that.
I’m just about to move to Bournemouth because I purposely want to create a life that is more free. That has got much more nature and family at the heart of it. But, I also know myself well enough to know that I am going to have to work darn hard (there it is again!) at not just bringing old me and my old work-y ways into my new home!
Because when it’s a sure-fire way of getting those little dopamine-fuelled achievement hits, putting down the laptop is sometimes as hard to putting down as that bar of chocolate or glass of rioja!
I would absolutely love to hear what you think about this and if you suffer from that all too common work-addiction too! And, if you think you or your team could benefit from some workplace mental health support, book in a consultation call.
Have a wonderful week, folks!
With love always,
Cate x
Oh hey there,
Oof, what a week. Things feel like they’re going at 100, maybe even 200 mph!
I’m not sure about you but I have to be really careful in these moments that I don’t just WORK all the time.
For I am, without a shadow of a doubt, a fully-signed up work-addict.
I was talking to my therapist about this, this week, and I have really come to understand that work is my ‘safe place’.
I would imagine there are some pretty core beliefs at the heart of it. Such as ‘not good enough’ or ‘alone-ness’ and tapping away on my keypad helps me overcome that.
- It’s a sense of immediate validation.
- I feel comforted by achievement and identity.
- It’s definitely about doing something purposeful.
And, to be crude, there is a direct link to work equalling commercial gain and, frankly, in my tiny, simple, fear-addled human brain, money means safety. I didn't have a particularly safe childhood and, if I can, as an adult do things that will comfort me easily and make me feel like 'I'm okay' then believe me, I am going to run with it.
Now, this is all well and good until it means that it’s taking over which I know I really run the risk of. Where work is the priority in my life. Over everything. ‘Get work done first. And then do life.’ And the problem with this is that, as you can imagine, is that life not only becomes very one dimensional but also, who wants a life where the vast majority of your view of the world starts and ends with a 30’ x 20’ screen?
Because here’s the thing, why do we work? For money? To buy all the things that we attribute success to? But what if that means that we miss out on all of the things in the meantime that come for free? Love, peace, joy, nature, family or freedom?
Look, this is a big topic, and certainly not one that I’m going to cover off in a few hundred words. However, I would urge you to come off autopilot and to really come into the conscious.
In an ideal world, how would you really like life to be? No, scrap that, start with this, how would you like to feel? And then, think about what a life would look like that could create that.
I’m just about to move to Bournemouth because I purposely want to create a life that is more free. That has got much more nature and family at the heart of it. But, I also know myself well enough to know that I am going to have to work darn hard (there it is again!) at not just bringing old me and my old work-y ways into my new home!
Because when it’s a sure-fire way of getting those little dopamine-fuelled achievement hits, putting down the laptop is sometimes as hard to putting down as that bar of chocolate or glass of rioja!
I would absolutely love to hear what you think about this and if you suffer from that all too common work-addiction too! And, if you think you or your team could benefit from some workplace mental health support, book in a consultation call.
Have a wonderful week, folks!
With love always,
Cate x
