Dear SLaP,
I know it’s good to have work in this economy, but I feel like my job has taken over my life. If I’m not working, I’m worrying about work…or not working. Any advice to “pop” me out of this rut?
Signed,
I like that Loverboy song, but...
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Dear Loverboy,
First things first, try to figure out why you’re worrying about work. Are you worried you’ll get fired? Are you trying too hard to define yourself through your job? It’ll be helpful to clarify this for yourself.
But whatever the case, you’re clearly ready to put the “life” back in “work-life balance.” For now, it might be easiest to assign yourself a pastime. Maybe you should volunteer or join a partners dancing class—-something physical that requires both your attention and your attendance. That way, for at least a few hours a week, you’ll be forced to do something fun that can’t be accomplished if you’re fretting.
And if you want a soundtrack for this new activity, look to Indigo Girls’ “Hammer and a Nail,” a peppy ode to putting your energy toward something other than your own anxiety. As the ladies tell us:
“I gotta get outta bed and get a hammer and a nail,
Learn how to use my hands,
Not just my head,
I’ll think myself into jail.”
In other words: You’ve got a job. Good. But you’ve also got the rest of your life. Force yourself to do something—-something with your body, your hands—-so you can a literal hold on what else is available to you.
