I’m “self-employed” and I also work from home, which sort of causes my work to sort of mesh together with everything else. Even when I’m out with friends I’m probably thinking about a more efficient way to write a block of code, new business ideas, etc. Sometimes I wouldn’t mind getting a typical 9-5 W2 job just so I could work my 8 hours and have an actual “life”.

My dad is a workaholic. He started his own business in 1994, and before that worked long and hard hours in the rep industry since a full year before I was born. All my life, he has constantly been on the road and moving top-speed forward. And then when he was home, he’s stressed – and makes stress for others when he is stressed – which completely strained our relationship. In fact, the way our relationship is now is a direct result of our relationship growing up.

That makes 26 years grinding hard making a living. And he absolutely does not know how to relax for more than a minute. Everything is intensity. Even baseball games (a favorite pass time for him) are marred by deadlines. When I go to a game with him, we have to leave long before to avoid traffic and get a good spot and all that nonsense – lest he blow his top! A few years back, my mother finally dragged him to a doctor that told him to (in so many words) chill out with a quickness, lest he explode!

I, by contrast, am certainly NOT a workaholic. I too did not do the hours upon hours of homework assigned in school (MY time is MY time), and while I suffered slightly for it, I don’t regret it. Granted, my final high school GPA was not as high as I would have liked it to be now that I am going back to college, I am OK with that. I know I can work hard, and I know I am capable. But at the end of the day, work stays at work. I am going to go home tonight, go on a bike ride, and then come home and my buddy is going to cut my hair. And I am going to drink some beer. And then Leah and I will hang out and stay up too late, and then I will wake up earlier than I like and go to work again tomorrow. Because I work to live, I don’t live to work. And that makes me happy!

You do what you need to do for you, old friend. I am very glad you recognize the budding workaholic within, because now you can change yourself before it is too late. So chillificate, hang out by your pond, and relaxxxxxxxx!