Something I didn’t realize about myself until the last few months is that I’m a workaholic. Honestly, I didn’t even know it until a good friend pointed it out…and then when I asked my husband if it was true, he laughed so hard that I hadn’t yet realized this was true.
Indeed, I am a workaholic. This definitely has not always been the case, but over the last few years I’ve grown to love working. I could talk about the fact that photography is my passion (it is) and that it often doesn’t feel like hard work (because it doesn’t), and that finding the thing you love is the best thing you can do (also true). But in a world that glamorizes workaholics, and worships people who rise to the top because they decided to eat, sleep, and breathe their work, I want to take a different angle.
It wasn’t until I slowed down that I realized how unhealthy it is to work – and want to work – all the time. My mind is often consumed thinking about how I’ll spend each hour of the next day, and how I’ll best use my time. I get really excited when I get a spare minute to sit down and write a blog, or network, or market myself on social media. It truly is fun for me, believe it or not, so I didn’t see anything wrong with it.
Over the last month, I’ve been able to set real work boundaries. I work from about 7-5 every day, with a break for lunch in there if I decide to take it. This sounds like a long day, but most of the time it flies by and at 4:30pm I’m scrambling to wrap everything up before I’m off.
But the gift of actually having an evening, and time on the weekends, has been incredible. I don’t know what to do with myself sometimes, but I’m forcing myself to stay off the computer and away from my phone. I’ve gone on long runs. I’ve called car insurance companies to negotiate a better rate. I cleaned our refrigerator. You know, those normal things people do when they’re not making themselves too busy.
It will never be the case that I’m not willing to put in the hard work. And I think that right now my struggle will be not overworking. In the name of productivity, I’ve cut things out of my life over the past few years that I am blessedly able to add back now. I’m so grateful for hard work, hustle, sweat, tears, and long hours that have made this business possible. But today, I’m even more grateful for long evenings, time not spent on the clock, and lazy days with nothing to do.
What a way to live. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
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