I mean, I really love beer, that ice-cold beer as soon as I get home is refreshing, relaxing, and signals the end of the day. I like it so much that I could easily drink A LOT of beer every day. But I know I can’t, for many reasons. If I drink too much, I feel terrible the next day and don’t want to do anything but stay in bed. I have a headache and my body feels like Jell-O. I also know that if I drink too much, too often, it will have severely debilitating effects on my health and, more importantly, my family. So, yeah, I have beer most nights, but I know where the line is to avoid the negative consequences that will start to show up.
For those of you who say that you really enjoy working, and that’s why you work 6 or 7 days a week, the consequences are very similar to having too many beers, too often. Eventually, you will get burned out, feel tired, and not want to get out of bed. You may have a headache, nauseous, and just plain feel like crap. If you continue down that path you will have debilitating effects on your health and, just as in drinking too much, you will have severely negative effects on your family and personal life.
Yes, working hard can become addictive. You tell yourself that you just need two more closings this year and then you can take some time off and take the family on a vacation. Then the following year you just need two or three more closings and then you can slow down a bit. Then the following year…etc. etc.
Trust me, it never ends, you become addicted to more, more, more. There are always excuses why you have to work so much. I did this for years and years, then the tragic diagnosis of one of my best friends made me realize how much of an idiot I was. I changed my life and started doing more of the things I enjoy doing, with the people I love being with. I didn’t care if not working as hard cost me sales, I just wanted my life back.
But what happened was remarkable, my sales didn’t go down, in fact, after I changed my life, my sales went up. The changes I made gave me clarity and that clarity made me present with my family, friends, AND clients! The results were incredible, my business didn’t suffer, it expanded! I am now able to do the things that I like to do, with the people I love to be with, without working 7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day!
So, the next time you are tempted to work 6 or 7 days a week, or into the night, cut yourself off, go home and have a beer. Think about how much you enjoy having that beer with your friends and family. Think about what you currently have in your life and be grateful for that. Life is short, too short to chase more, more, more.