Category: Uncategorized
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In some workplaces, perfectionism is considered a virtue. Endless worry over quality seems like it would produce quality work, and that’s good, right? But after some time in recovery, I know that to get better, I have to call perfectionism what it is: a defect of character. Perfectionism feeds on my fear and shame, two…
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Sometime in life, I learned to depend on others’ approval. How could I possibly know if I was doing a good job if no one told me I was? I chased big wins, trying to get attention for my work, and often felt deflated by the response I got. But the feedback I receive from…
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So much of my mental energy at work can get taken up with the question: How do I look? Do I look competent and capable? Do people think I’m getting my work done? But when I start trying to get other people on board with my quest for approval–when I need certain things to happen…
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Sometimes I get caught up in my work. It all seems urgent, and I want to please others, and there’s always one more thing to do. But when I let my whole day pass that way, I might find that my performance is suffering. Maybe I’m having trouble making a decision, or I’m starting to…
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Sometimes my job can feel like a bit … much. Especially when I’m doing something new. When I got into recovery, I heard people talk about relying on God. It sounded a bit churchy, and it sounded hard to pull off. But over time, the idea grew on me. What a relief to find out…
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It’s only a matter of time before I have to work closely with someone I don’t especially like. Maybe they wear their belief system on their sleeve, and I don’t share it. Maybe they’re just not very nice. Whatever they’re doing, I don’t enjoy spending so much of the day with them. In recovery, we…
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Sometimes I react strongly–wildly, even–to the world around me. Those reactions often come from habit. I can meet almost anything my boss says with the same feeling of grievance and skepticism, no matter what it is. And I react the way I usually do when I feel that way. Maybe it’s gossip, or shutting down.…
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Before recovery (and even after) my mind was always busy. I took in a lot of information and processed it profusely. I made a lot of plans. But often those plans never turned into any real action. Keeping my mind busy made me feel like I was doing something to make my life better, but…
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One of the General Warranties of the World Service Conference insists that no action taken by the Conference be “personally punitive or an incitement to public controversy.” In many of our families, personal vendettas ruled everything. We did not practice principles above personalities. We instead needed others to be proven wrong so we could be…
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Why do I want success? Do I think it will mean I don’t have to worry anymore? Do I think I’m supposed to have achieved something in particular by a certain age? Do I secretly think my real life will begin once I’ve reached a certain level in my career? All of these thoughts fail…
Recovering at Work 