Limits on working

"Unveiling the silent struggle of work addiction: a journey of self-awareness, balance, and reclaiming life. Join me in setting boundaries and saying no to overwork."

Written by Reeman Rizg

Hello everyone, It’s Reeman Rizg again. I’m completing my series of “Limits,” but this time my article will be completely different from my previous writings, and it’s because this is my first time writing about something that I want people to become aware of, while I’m becoming more aware too.

I guess we are all humans; it’s actually a weird feeling trying to explain some advice to you all while I’m the one who needs this advice, but actually, we’re people and we learn day by day, from our mistakes. Reading, and writing might help too! Since I’m writing to myself too and so I can realize the problem I’m into.

I still haven’t explained my topic for today and the reason for choosing it! Obviously, the topic is “Limits on WORK.” Why “WORK”? Because I see it from 2 different point of views; At first, I saw work as a peaceful thing to do, and it’s initial in every person’s life, it’s what gets you money right? What if I told you, that actually, there is an addiction for work! When you don’t set up limits for your work hours, places, and timings, you will be absolutely living in hell!

I’ve known what work addiction is; when I got stuck in it. It’s when you drag yourself into everything that needs work, I know this might seem beneficial, until you realize that all of this work had something to do to your psychological statements, your eating, sleeping habits, and to your own social life!

As I have told you my previous point of view in “work,” I now see it as a way to escape and run away from everything; from sleeping, dreaming, thinking, facing my problems, facing my life and fears, even my social life! What’s actually weird is that I was really escaping my life that I haven’t even realized all of this! I didn’t realize not sleeping for days, didn’t realize I haven’t met anyone for days, didn’t eat, didn’t talk, and didn’t have time to myself!

Work addiction caused me to also not have enough time to be free to pray sunnah or read more Quran, it’s actually very sensitive for me to talk about this because we always cry and pray for none but Allah, what work that can cause me to not have enough time with Allah? And I’m mentioning this point so you guys can understand how it’s negatively effective, if you’re reading this and you feel like this is happening to you, please try to check how your relationship is with Allah.

However, after this long introduction, I’ll give you some tips and advice to set up limits for your work;

First, limits in work are usually divided into 3 main types:

- Working hours: you have to set up a limit for your working hours according to your lifestyle and your daily life plan, but as they always say; use the 8 + 8 + 8 method which is to set 8 hours of your day for work, 8 hrs for yourself, and 8 hrs to sleep. But as a person who loves to work, I’d recommend 12 hours of work as MAXIMUM.

- Working timings: You have to realize that you shouldn’t work at night and stay up awake all the way just to work! Unless you’re a night person, but always try to not work except for your usual work timings.

- Working places: you DON’T work in the time you’re in your summer trip, Fridays families gathering, and any place that is your supposed to be having fun in it and enjoying your moment, additionally, you don’t study on your bed because this will cause your brain to have a lack of differentiation between sleeping bed and your studying desk.

Tips for you to set up these limits;

- Respect your human being requirements; as eating, sleeping, or even breathing because I absolutely feel how sometimes we go through overworking times that we don’t even have time to breathe!

- Respect your body’s rights and limits; your body and brain can’t work for 25 hours a day!

- Honor your friends and family; by not letting work cut off your connections with them.

- Avoid accepting additional work; if your manager or teammates requested you to take their place and do their work, reject this!

- Consider your habits and your rights to practice them; you must practice whatever habit you have, this helps you to relax and feel a little free through your day, and I will actually recommend you to have at least 45 minutes a day to practice a specific sport!

These were just tips and advice from my own experience and point of view and I hope they be helpful for you! At the end, I totally understand that there are times where we are required to work more and it’s usually for your own career and achievements, but believe me sometimes dragging yourself in everything that requires hard work from you has huge negative impacts. I really hope this article was enough to reach my words to all of you because this problem is one of the most unrecognized problems.

Please share me your own experiences, tips and advice if anyone of you have went through what I explained in this article!

Finally, DO NOT OVERWORK!