How To Be Motivated To Permanently Change Your Workaholic Behaviour

Change your workaholic behaviour with Peter’s story

Today I want to share with you a little story about one of my very good friends. Let’s call him Peter. Peter is the owner of a successful growing business. Peter hadn’t taken a proper break in many many years. He took his laptop with him when he went on holiday with his family.  While there, he checked in on his emails and the office at least once a day to ensure that everything was running smoothly.  His company’s staff turnover is very low.  The vast majority of his employees are high-performing. They are extremely competent and experienced dream team members who have been working for him for many years. Peter’s tale has a happy ending.  I am hoping it will help you change your workaholic behaviour.

Getting off the hamster wheel

Peter and I had various discussions over an extended period about his desire to let go of the reigns a bit more. We’d discussed the importance of him taking a break. As with most entrepreneurs, Peter’s journey originally started with a vision of creating a life worth living for himself and his family. However, he became so entangled in the day-to-day operations of his own business that he couldn’t seem to free himself even for a single day. Although being involved is not necessarily a bad thing, Peter’s position was very risky from a business sustainability and business continuity perspective. It had reached a point where it was limiting his business’ ability to grow.

Challenging the status quo

I had a telephone discussion with Peter only days before his next attempt at an annual holiday away with his family. But like so many times before, when I asked Peter whether the laptop would stay at home this time around, his answer was no. Peter was quite taken aback when I told him that he was being incredibly rude. I explained he had such wonderful team members. If I were them, I would feel quite insulted if after so many years he still felt the need to check up on me every day. As long as they knew how to get hold of him in the event of a crisis, I did not understand on what basis he still didn’t trust them to get the job done. Not to mention how discarded his family must feel. After all the support, understanding and sacrifice they have made throughout the entire year.  He had continued to work long and hard on his business. On a level, they knew they were still not considered worthy enough to receive his undivided attention.  Not even for this short period once a year. My views were met with a very long silence and eventually a soft-spoken admission that he had never considered such a perspective.

The evidence is clear

Over the years I have quoted many studies on burnout and the positive impact a well-balanced lifestyle can have on your productivity. But these never appeared to even make the slightest impact on Peter’s apparent self-image of invincibility. For the first time, I got Peter to open his eyes to the potential impact his actions were having on those around him. It became the very first holiday (of many) that the laptop was left off throughout his entire annual break.

You have to want to change

Peter is not the first entrepreneur I have come across who faces these challenges. I am grateful for the opportunity that we have had to assist many of them in making a positive change. The very first step is always that they need to want to make a change. If Peter’s story sounds way too familiar, then I challenge you to start taking action. Make the necessary changes to reinstate balance in your life and get assistance if need be. If not for yourself, do it for your family and your team.