Hi. I’m new here. I am a workaholic. When I started to notice my mental decline I was working in very important role at one of the largest companies in the world. All I could see was the end prize, financial freedom. A few years in I knew I was going through health issues because sleeping was rough, I always felt on edge. All I wanted to do was make sure my wife would be set up if I died.
One day I could not take it anymore. I went to a different company. Took less than a week and I had the big one. A complete breakdown. I didn’t know what it was until a friend told me it may be panic attacks.
I got let go in about a year. I’ve been bouncing around jobs since. I get back up, I apply myself, I’m determined; or more like super productive due to stress.
Then I heard about a friend’s spouse who died of cancer. They were younger than myself. It just breaks me with a lot of what-if questions. If this happened to me, I didn’t enjoy life. I just worked. I got little progress to show for it except money in what feels like a doomed economy. I worked to make sure my wife can live an enjoyable life when I am gone. I don’t have a clue how to have fun.
I am now stuck with a lot of what-if questions that don’t have answers. I start my new job in about a week. It’s a good company, pays well, allegedly they care a lot about their employees. I just wish life would slow down enough to process things; deal with the anxiety issues. Now that I can breathe a bit again and about to regain my footing I feel more stressed.
Tl;dr I don’t know how not to have my life revolve around work.
Edit: feel free to offer advice. I’m kind of just in my own anxiety right now.
I don’t have a comprehensive answer, but I find using a calendar for scheduling my wellbeing (like I would schedule work tasks or medical appointments) helps. For example, schedule things such as naps, walks, television watching, book reading, sexy time with your partner, masturbation by yourself, long hot baths, dinner dates with friends, museum visits, concerts, etc. These are the things I would often neglect since my schedule was too full with work stuff or putting out fires in my personal life. Now they get equal footing in my life.
I look at a calendar that’s filled and get stressed. I get it though. I need to take time for myself and set it aside.
It doesn’t have to be a calendar. But if it is, how would a month of crossed off days make you feel?
Miserable. Honestly, it reminds me of what I did and it feels like I made little progress.
Interesting. The people I know who struggle with anxiety tell me crossing off completed items helps.
Well, make sure to value self-care in whatever way works for you.