If you are working too much. If you just can’t let go of doing it all. If you keep saying the 5 deadly words: “I will do it myself”… Then this is for you because my name is Craig Ballantyne and I’m a recovering workaholic. Here’s what worked for me:
Step #1 – Public Accountability
When I told the world – via social media – that, “I’m shutting down my phone every night at 6pm PST to be with Michelle,” … it left me with two choices:
a) Be a lying, hypocritical workaholic and break that pledge
b) Commit to it and be more focused during the day
Ask your team, your clients, your family, your coach (!), etc. for hardcore accountability… Ask someone to check on you each morning about how your nightly shutdown went… and ask them to check on you mid-afternoon and ask, “Are you ready to be present at night?”
Step #2 – Identify Your Triggers
And destroy your distractions and toss your temptations… If checking your phone and email too much cause you to work an extra more each day… Cut back on that habit … use app blockers… or delete the tools from your phone after a certain point each day… and re-install them in the AM.
Step #3 – Set Significant Consequences
If you don’t do something… Then a reward must be removed… Or a punishment must be in place…Whichever motivates you better – use it to get started on a Winning Streak
Step #4 – Block Your Non-Negotiable Non-Work Time
Plan your Perfect Week… Putting workouts, family time, self-care, etc. on the calendar.
These are set-in-stone non-negotiable actions… Put those on the calendar first and build everything around it. And if you begin to break them… see Step #3.
Step #5 – Change Your Identity
This is the greatest lesson ever learned from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits.
Planning, consequences, and accountability only go so far… It’s only when you change your Core Identity – to one where you no longer seeing yourself as a workaholic whose worth in life is related to the amount you work or money you make – that you will finally be able to step back from being a workaholic.
This takes work. It takes changing limiting self-beliefs. But it is worth it… as are these…
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne