Are You Working Too Much?
I’m never going to be like that.
As a child, my parents worked very hard. Unfortunately, this meant they missed many events that were very important to me. I’m not mad at them, but the reality is that it affected me. Early in my career, I swore that I’d never be like that.
Yet somehow, it happened.
It was a slow fade.
Looking back, there was never a moment when I chose to prioritize my work over my family, it just kinda happened. Little by little, my priorities drifted from my family to my work.
For me, I recognized this slow fade and corrected it while my kids were still at home. This meant that I got to be at all my kids’ stuff while they were in middle school and high school and still very present for my son as he had gotten married and will be welcoming his first child, and my first grandchild, in a couple of months.
You’ve got to be intentional.
I hear you. Some of you work the way you do because you have no choice. Your life requires that you work as much and when you do. In the short term, I would encourage you to be intentional about the time you have to spend with your children, spouse, or partner.
In the long term, I would encourage you to start building a life that allows you to focus more on family and less on work.
Your work should fit your life and not the other way around.
I know that this may mean making some difficult choices. I drive a 13-year-old Chevy Silverado that is paid for. Sure, I’d love to have something newer, but I’m not willing to give up the time with our teenage daughter or with my wife in order to drive something newer.
So, are you working too much?
I can’t answer that question other, but here are some questions that might help you in answering that questions:
- Does your work cause you to regularly miss family events?
- Have you built a life that requires you to work more than you want to?
- Do you have a specific goal for the money you make from working extra?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Leave a comment, or shoot me an email at matt@restoringnurses.com and tell me, Are you working too much?
