How to Break Your Addiction to Work

Are you working too much? Working too hard? Is your obsession with your work hurting your relationships, health, and happiness? If so, you might be a workaholic—and it might be time to break your addiction to work. Here’s how.

Turn off your devices after hours

If you work in an office and you’re not actively on a conference call or in a meeting, it’s okay to power down your devices after hours. As much as we might hate to admit it, multitasking doesn’t really exist; switching from one task to another—even if they appear similar—creates tiny breaks in concentration that can interrupt our thought processes and make us less productive. The simplest way to avoid multi-distraction is by getting rid of all your gadgets for an hour or two each day. That way, you won’t be tempted by emails and texts when you should be focused on other things.

Prioritize spending time with family

If you’re a workaholic, it can be difficult and stressful to leave work at work. But prioritizing time with your family is important and can help you break your addiction to work. Schedule regular times where you turn off your phone (and avoid checking emails), and focus on spending quality time with family members. If you’re concerned about being productive, set aside a specific block of time every day when you take care of personal chores or tackle tasks around your home that won’t wait—and use that as an opportunity to decompress after work. It will help reduce stress levels, allowing both you and your family better sleep at night.

Exercise before work

Exercising in the morning is a great way to kickstart your day, as well as start your workday on a healthy note. If you’re a morning person, then it may not be so difficult for you to change when you exercise. However, if you’re used to exercising at night or in your free time after work, then switching gears may take some getting used to. After all, you don’t want waking up early to feel like more of a chore than something pleasant and relaxing—and that can happen easily when your body is adjusting from sleeping later into mornings and working out earlier in them.

Eat well and exercise throughout the day

If you’re ready to break your addiction to work, it’s important to get started right away. Luckily, research shows that being physically active throughout the day can have a positive impact on your psychological well-being—making it easier for you to disconnect from work and step back into reality when necessary. That said, eating well is also an important part of staying productive. If you struggle with food or drink habits that negatively affect your work performance (or if your diet is simply unhealthy), be sure to check out these tips for breaking unhealthy eating habits. Even a few minor changes can make a big difference!

Focus on what makes you happy, not what makes you rich

Having strong motivation is critical when you’re trying to do something as difficult as quitting your job. But try not to base that motivation on wealth, or any specific outcome—just happiness and health. If you fixate on how much money you need for retirement, for example, or what kind of mortgage payment you can afford, remind yourself that workaholism isn’t about money; it’s about prioritizing one activity (work) over everything else in your life. For many people who are addicted to work, focusing on money will only give them more incentive to continue with their unhealthy habits. Be smart: focus on what makes you happy instead.

Step away from your desk

You can’t break an addiction if you don’t first admit that it exists. Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on how long you’ve been working and how deeply ingrained workaholism is in your life, but there are a few common things that many workaholics experience when they finally get away from their desk for a little while. It may tempt to stay stuck at your desk once you’re unplugged, but getting away from your computer, even if it’s just for an hour or two, is key. Put some space between yourself and work so you can reassess why it’s so important—and relax.

Take a break from social media

You might also consider taking a break from social media. While we all like seeing what our friends are up to and sharing our own lives with others, too much of it can leave you feeling burned out—and not in a good way. Focus on doing something you enjoy offline, or even just spend some time outside. The fresh air and change of scenery might be just what you need!

Do something you are good at that relaxes you

When you can’t stop thinking about work, it may be time to take a break. Give yourself permission to do something you are good at that relaxes you—dance, play an instrument, go for a walk. It’s important not only that you have time when your mind isn’t preoccupied with work, but also that you engage in an activity unrelated to work or making things. Letting your mind fully inhabit itself with another topic is one of the best ways to relieve stress and recharge your batteries. You don’t even have to share what activity it was; anyone who notices will probably just assume it was something fun and no worries about why your answer is vague or incomplete. Then try not to think about work for half an hour!