{"id":45227,"date":"2019-09-30T04:45:34","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T09:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=45227"},"modified":"2019-09-30T04:45:34","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T09:45:34","slug":"3-reasons-why-you-cant-stop-working","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/3-reasons-why-you-cant-stop-working\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons You Can\u2019t Stop Working"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts when the host\u00a0 confessed he hadn\u2019t taken a vacation in over a year. Admitting that he was on the edge of burnout, he said, \u201cThis has to change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I immediately thought, <\/span>Why hasn\u2019t it changed before now? How do you let yourself get into this kind of situation?<\/span><\/i> I admit, I was judgmental.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then I remembered my own experience. I was reacting a bit like an alcoholic who struggled to get sober,\u00a0 then forgot what it\u2019s like to be addicted.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Gail and I were first married, we had the benefit of two incomes. It seemed like we had more money than we knew what to do with. We bought a new house, a new car, and a new motorcycle\u2014all through the miracle of debt. (I\u2019m being facetious, of course.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Everything was fine until we started having children. Gail chose to be a stay-at-home mom, which I fully supported. Suddenly, we went from two incomes to one. Realizing we needed more money, I took a higher paying, albeit more demanding, job.<\/span><\/p>\n

My new boss told me he couldn\u2019t meet my salary requirements immediately, but if I did a great job he would give me a raise in 90 days. I was determined to get that raise, so I went all in.<\/span><\/p>\n

I typically arrived at the office by 6:00 a.m. I made sure I was the first one there. I didn\u2019t leave until 6:00 p.m. Then, after a quick dinner, I parked myself on my recliner and went right back to work. I\u2019d go to bed at 10:00 or 10:30 p.m., then do it all over again.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, I typically worked Saturday mornings. I wasn\u2019t yet an executive, but I wanted to be one. So I imitated the behavior of the executives in the company. They all worked on Saturday mornings. Why? According to them, it was \u201cthe only time we have to catch up!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As if that weren\u2019t bad enough, I took on an additional job in order to meet our financial obligations. I became a weekend preacher for a congregation 81 miles from our home. As a result, I spent Saturday evening and early Sunday morning preparing sermons. We would leave for church at 7:00 a.m. After the service, Gail and I typically had lunch with one of the church families.<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time we got home, it was usually 5:00 p.m. Did I finally rest? No. I spent Sunday evenings getting ready for the workweek.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was brutal. I was easily working 80 hours a week, often more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The crazy thing was that I eventually got used to it. And, of course, I received lots of social reinforcement at work. My boss praised me for my \u201camazing work ethic.\u201d He gave me the raise I needed, and I was soon promoted. Slowly but surely, I became addicted to work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even after the financial pressure subsided, I made excuses for working so much:<\/span><\/p>\n