Workaholics.

I have been work-obsessed lately. There are a lot of exciting things taking shape in my life career-wise, and I want to make the most out of it and really succeed. I am juggling exams, a start-up company, the family business, show planning, a radio show, and other things life requires such as food and clean clothes.

I have also been juggling something else. That something else is called baggage. We all have some. I began to think about mine not too long ago, as I haven’t given it much thought recently (thank God). As the thoughts pulled a figurative B&E (that’s “breaking an entering” for those of you not up on the lingo) on my mind, I immediately got the urge to do some work. I couldn’t relax unless my brain was busy designing a flyer, writing an article, or putting together a show schedule. I could not possibly sit dormant and allow my issues to burglarize my thoughts. I do not want to think about my ex. I do not want to think about my nonexistent love life. I do not want to think about my brother’s felony and mental disabilities.

Being a workaholic is both a good and a bad thing. Nothing new there. I’ve always been battling my over-active mind. I’ve turned to pills, to drinks, to weed. I’ve turned to books, to movies, to music. Anything to just not think about whatever is haunting me at the time.

These days, my drug of choice is work.

There is ambition. There is passion. There is action. These are all things workaholics have in common. But there is something else. There is what I call “The Ghost.” The Ghost represents all of those things you are running from. It is your rocky relationship. It is your growing debt. It is your fear of forever being alone. It is that overall fear of failure. That worst-nightmare no workaholic can stand to even consider. We hate The Ghost. We wish The Ghost didn’t exist. We are strong people–going after our dreams, increasing our paychecks, making our names known. We can’t be susceptible to emotions, to simple thought. We have work to do.

Right?

Being productive is better than turning to drugs and alcohol. (God, I’m such a good influence!) It’s better than achieving absolutely nothing while still running from The Ghost. Working is a good thing.

But we can’t always run from The Ghost.

We have to confront our demons some time. It’s impossible to stay so busy at all times that we avoid it. If you can, congratulations. You’re fake. Or stupid.  Our generation has perfected escapism. What we need work on? Self-analytical thought.

Sometimes being productive is actually counter-productive.

Take a moment to breathe.

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