Love Letter 33 : Another Block to Creativity: Workaholism!
Are you addicted?...
Dear Readers and Friends,
I hope this Love Letter finds you well and thriving. I can’t believe it’s already the middle of December; I feel like it was only yesterday that we welcomed 2024!
How has the year been for you in terms of work? Do you feel like you’ve achieved a lot this year, had fun doing it and still have enough energy to keep going? Or do you feel completely burnt out, yearning for the Christmas period to come so you can take a few days’ break? Do you feel like your creativity is suffering because you just can’t find enough time to fit everything into one day?
If you answered “Yes” to the second-half of the above paragraph, know that you are not alone. I’ve been there and it has grave consequences. One of those consequences is that it is detrimental to our health. Another consequence is that it is one of the biggest blocks to our creativity. Coupled with our inner critic (and almost everyone I’ve spoken to this year said they have one of those lurking within them), the combination can be lethal to our creative flow.
As artists, others often see us as, “obsessed” or “always working”. But there’s a massive difference between obsessing over our art and feeling alive, fulfilled and joyful in the process (albeit somewhat tired a lot of the time) as opposed to feeling depressed, stressed out, exhausted and overwhelmed, wondering when we’ll ever get time to have fun again.
In her wonderful book, ‘The Artist’s Way’, author Julia Cameron takes workaholism very seriously indeed, seeing it as self-abuse and an addiction that is just as dangerous as any drug or alcohol dependence. She’s put together an eye-opening, ‘Workaholism Quiz’ to help artists determine whether their overwork is healthy or has turned into an unhealthy addiction. I’ve linked the book in the REFERENCES section at the end of this letter.
If you think you might have fallen into the trap of workaholism, here are some questions you could ask yourself quietly in private:
1. I can go weeks without taking a day off:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
2. I take work with me on holidays, to parties, or even when I go out with others:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
3. I cancel my holidays and days off so I can work:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
4. I do two or more things at once:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
5. I feel like I’m running out of ideas:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
6. I procrastinate a lot:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
7. My To-Do List is getting longer rather than shorter:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
8. I feel like I don’t have enough downtime:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
9. I prioritise work over family:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
10. I tend to eat my meals at my desk/while working:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
11. I fall asleep while working:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
12. I feel like I get sick more often than I used to:
Never / Sometimes / Often.
If you answered “Often” to at least half of the above questions, this could be a red flag indicating that you could be suffering from workaholism. It’s time to start cutting back, focusing more on yourself and more on output instead of input.
I hope you can create some balance in your work life, whether you’re an artist or in any other profession… then watch that creativity come back again. 😎
Love & Decibels,
xx Jo xx
REFERENCES:
1. Montanez, R. (2024): ‘Workaholism: What It Is And Preventing It In Your Life And Workplace’. Forbes Magazine web. New Jersey, 2024 Forbes Media LLC.
2. Cameron, J. (1992, 2002, 2006, 2007): ‘The Complete Artist’s Way: Creativity As A Spiritual Practice’ (pp. 165-168). New York, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin Inc.
3. Robbins, T. (2024): ‘Workaholics anonymous’. Tony Robbins Business web. San Diego, Robbins Research International, Inc.
4. Author Unknown (2021): ‘This Year Has Deranged My Senses’: 12 Artists on How the Pandemic Has Changed the Way They Approach Their Work’. ArtNet News, artworld Magazine web, global. Artnet Worldwide Corporation.
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Happy Holidays to you, Jo! 😀
It's always difficult to find work/life balance. Sometimes when you have the time that creativity isn't there and you end up playing the Switch for a couple of hours. But this particular society does seem to expect extra hours from everyone while not offering much peace of mind or tranquility in exchange.