On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How to Curb Your Addiction to a Frantic Pace

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How to Curb Your Addiction to a Frantic Pace There's a famous quote from Alice Adventures in Wonderland author Louis Carroll that says: The hurrier I go, the behinder I get. Since Carroll died in 1898, its clear that the current-day dilemma we seem to have with rushing around and trying to get more done isnt a new problem. But as Carroll points out, all that hurrying doesnt seem to pay off in getting ahead. Leadership coachGail Angelowould agree with Carroll, and says that the hurry up lives we lead are actuallymaking us less productive. In a recent interview with Anita Bruzzese, she addresses how its important that we learn to slow down, even if the practice may be painful at first. AB: What is the impact from the Great Recession when we all seem to now be doing twice or even three times the work we once did? GA:According to a Basex study in Good Technology magazine, 2012, the average worker has 37 hours of unfinished work on their desk at any given time. The study also reports that approximately 40% of employees say their workload has increased in the past 12 months. The combination of having more to do and the ease of continuous access through technology leave many feeling like it is almost impossible to turn it off. There is often an underlying worry or anxiety that if an individual is not working or responsive 24/7,they will miss something, will be left behind, or will be perceived as less committed than others. Effectiveness and productivity begin to suffer as do relationships both in and outside of work. AB: It sounds like we literally cannot turn it off. Are we addicted to the pace? GA:In my practice, I have noticed that people can become addicted to the pace and more so to the adrenaline rush that can accompany the pace. Work itself or thinking (see more here)