The keyboard crunches and munches to the ticking sound of the clock on the wall above. Itâs 12:30 am, you just need to get that last social media post out, finish your paper, or study that last chapter before your test. Whatever is youâre doing, itâs late and you should have been in bed a few hours ago.
In a recent study by Project:Time, millennials are defining the #workmartyr. Work Martyrs are the new term for millennials working longer hours, dedicated to their company. According to the survey, they believed the following statements: âNo one else at my company can do the work while Iâm away. I donât want others to think I am replaceable. I want to show complete dedication to my company and job.â
My friend is a hard worker. I mean a hard worker. He stays late after work, works through his lunches, and follows up with emails even after work. To give credit, he has determination, tenacity, and will power. On the other hand, what happened to self-care? It is possible to work minute by minute without taking a break. Maybe for a day, but three, four days?
Does work bleed into your personal life?
Self-care at work is probably the most difficult to balance for most people. We like our lists and projects to complete. We like beating to the beat the clock with one task done after the next. Consequently, stress to meet the deadline has pushed self-care as the last bullet point of our priority.
I hear snifflingđ€ą behind me while Iâm at my desk at work. Then my coworker asks a question in a muffled tone. Sheâs #sick, I think but donât say anything. Why didnât she call in sick? Not like a mild cold but a tiredness -in-her-eyes-that-sunk-and-yearn-for-more-sleep-sick. Her red nose beams and her smile looked forced and unnatural. Thereâs so much work to not miss, she says.
7 Signs work is ruining your life:
1) Boundaries of work and your personal life blur. Youâre at your friendâs birthday part but youâre not really there. Sending that last email to your client or answering that phone call for your boss makes you physically present but not mindfully present.
2) Lunch and breaks are working lunch and breaks.
3) You come to work sick. Unless you work from your home, this is a big pet peeve of mine because it really shows neglect for your self care and possibly getting others sick. Work will always be there for you. Itâs not going anywhere else unless youâre itâs due to life or death circumstances.
4) You donât take a vacation day or a mental health day. The study also indicated that work martyrs feel bad when they take these vacation days and more likely to lose them instead of use them.
Do you use your vacation days less often than most people?
5) You eat out more often than not. If you miss lunches and run out for something quick, the chances of grabbing something fast and healthy are greatly reduced and you may end up ordering fast food. This becomes a red flag for your self care.
6) Work Martyrs were also more likely to be stressed at home and at work in the recent study.
7) Lastly, they felt unsupported at work with at least 70 percent saying management did not support them.
Consequences of not utilizing self-care at work:
1) Burn out. The price to pay when all work and no play makes Jack quit his job. Like all things that work endlessly, eventually the work becomes dull, and unpassionate.đ
2) You ultimately loose out on your #health which eventually will take a toll. Eventually, health will degrade overtime if not taken care of so those extra hours of staying up become worth it at the time but slowly degrades your well being in the long run.
3) Quality of work starts to decline. It could be that youâre staying up late, so tired, that mistakes are more likely to occur.
4) Friends and family will less likely invite you to their weekend events for the very reason you are busy- due to work.
5) Partner relationship may suffer. If work bleeds in to your life, the person you love can ultimately pay.
Here are 7 Super Easy Steps to Inject Self Care at Work
It almost seems intuitive to say, just do the opposite. However, it can be very difficult for a work martyr to utilize self care especially because they are focused in on their work. Thankfully, a little behavior therapy can do wonders.
1) Use an alarm. Alarms break your day and help you take a second to stop what youâre doing. A little Pavlov therapy does work. â°
2) During your break, take a walk for at least 5 minutes. Stretch, use this stretch technique here if you sit all day long.đ¶ââïžđ¶ââïž
3) Have lunch with coworker, partner, or by yourself. Or phone a friend to schedule a weekend hangout.
Work will always be there. Take a lunch with coworkers.
4) Insert at least two 15 min breaks in your schedule if youâre extremely busy. Consier breaks your appointments.
5) Drink water throughout the day. Hydration is key to maximize brain power along with a energizing snack.
6) Have a laugh. Find a random YouTube video (those ones where you play âI bet you canât laugh without watching these videos). Work can be so serious, laughing breaks it instantly.đ€Ł
7) Learn to say no. Ok everyone says this but it really does feel powerful to say âNo, Iâm sorry but I have these priorities at this time that I must take on at this time. Or I can take on the task at a later date.â
The Art of Balancing can't be beautiful
Balance is the ultimate takeaway from all of this. When we take time to be mindful and monitor our health, we become more aware of our choices at work which helps us become less of a martyr and more of a master to our work.
Take care,
Ian Aman
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