How to Stop Obsessing About Your Work

How to Stop Obsessing About Your Work

round cake that looks like a button-down shirt with a red tie down its center

This post will show you how to stop obsessing about your work, like this cake “for salarymen who work like idiots,” taken by Sanju Tenjirou.

How to Stop Obsessing About Your Work

Here is how to stop obsessing about your work.  Embedded in the three steps below are good reasons why to stop obsessing about your work. The main reason: it’s not working! (Pun intended).

Notice You Are Obsessing

I’m a recovering workaholic. I have harmed relationships I value by work-addiction. So I take this stuff seriously.

The first thing is to notice you are obsessing about your work. Initially, it may seem normal to think about your work whenever you possibly can. It may seem productive. Our culture may have taught you this. Our culture is stupid about a lot of things. It’s highly ineffective to obsess about work outside of work.

It’s not. And if you are still reading this post, some part of you agrees it’s not.

Redirect Your Attention

When you catch yourself obsessing, you have two choices: continue, or stop. If you continue, do so consciously:

sit down and make notes of what you’re realizing, wondering, or worrying about

but if you really want to stop obsessing,

redirect your mind. Focus on something else, intensely.

I personally liked this meditation. It takes just a bit of work and focus, which makes it perfect to absorb my mental energy. It also turns that energy outward to all beings, and engages it in doing something positive for them (which my obsessing is not).

Observe the Results

If you get the result you wanted, you have figured out how to stop obsessing about your work. What did you try? What worked? Write back to us in a comment to this post.

If you don’t get the result you want, tell us what’s happening, maybe we can help. Write in with a comment to this post.

No Comments

Post A Comment