All Work and No Play | Are you a Workaholic?

• Do you take work with you to bed? On weekends? On vacation?
• Do you work more than 40 hours a week?
• Do you believe that it is okay to work long hours if you love what you are doing?
• Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships?
• Do you prioritize cleaning, laundry and your to-do list over your family?
• Do you believe that more money will solve the other problems in your life?
• Do you take your iphone or Crackberry into the stall with you?
• You rush through the simple, bonding, loving, nurturing and unplanned special moments with your kids to get to the “planned activity”.
• You’re exhausted, worn out, burnt out and have become the “yelling mom” because you just can’t get everything done.
• No more healthy meals, you just don’t have time!

So here is the question of the day…

ARE YOU A WORKAHOLIC?

This is a sickness that has become a fast growing and rampantly spreading disease that is destroying parents and shattering families.  However, this disease is not just limited to over-achieving, adrenalin junkie, executive moms and dads.  This is a disease that is also killing many stay at home moms.

Here are 12 antidotes to kill the workaholic disease…

1. CALL A TEAM MEETING: If you think that you may be a workaholic, don’t ask your boss or co-workers, call a team meeting and ask your spouse and kids.  Give them permission to share the final 10%.  Kids typically feel comfortable sharing 90% of the truth with mom and dad because that is safe and will keep them out of trouble.  Encourage your family to be brutally honest and share the final 10% they are probably hanging on to.
2. JUST SAY NO:My good friend Craig Groeschel is famous for saying, “we must learn to give up something we love for something we love even more.”  Parents, what do you need to say “NO” to?
3. USE THE “F” WORD: If you are a workaholic stop pushing the issue aside and acting like the problem doesn’t exist.  Be authentic and extremely transparent with your family on your struggle and ask for their forgiveness.
4. ASK FOR YOUR KIDS HELP: Tell your kiddos that you are going to fail.  Give them permission to lovingly and respectfully point out when you fall off the “family man bandwagon”.
5. DO LESS, BE MORE: Stop doing as much and just be with your kids, they are simply hungry for your presence.
6. BE GOOD ENOUGH: Mom’s with the never ending “task list” usually create unrealistic and stressful homes.  It’s ok to just be “good enough”.
7. SET YOUR WORK HOURS: It’s easy for mom’s to log in 12 to 15 hours a day, set your work hours and be done.
8. RE-ARRANGE YOUR CALENDAR: If you are married, give your wife access to your calendar.  Allow her to schedule school lunches, field trips and recitals for you.  If you are a single parent (I SALUTE YOU) ask a friend to hold you accountable for intentionally scheduling “kid/family” time.
9. HANG UP AND HANG OUT: Team Sprad has what we call “hang up and hang out time”.  This is where mom and dad have to “hang up” and surrender (literally surrender) their mobile device to the kids and simply “hang out” with the family.
10. JESUS TIME: If you are not giving Jesus his proper place and time in your life you will have no boundaries and will continue to let this disease destroy your life.
11. TALK TO THE BOSS: This can be the most difficult part of the process.  Sit down with your boss, share your heart and ask him/her to help you spend more time with your family.  I have walked through this process personally.
12. TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT: So this is a little extreme, but I do love that country song.  Seriously, after walking through the previous 11 steps and you’re getting no results, you might consider a career change.  Please be sure to be prayerful, seek counsel and be confident God is leading you this way.  A career change can be tough in any season of life, especially one where the economy is weak.

Now it’s your turn…we’d love to hear your antidotes to killing the workaholic disease. Comment below.