the status of being a workaholic, burnout, and desensitized to anything and everything else. Unfortunately, along with being over extended in our work commitments comes a deterioration in the quality of our output. We start defeating ourselves and being our own worst enemy.

There are some cures.

Divide and Conquer, Step One:

One step is to budget our time. Each day has certain activities that must be done. You know the ones, getting up, hygiene, maintenance, socialization, work, commuting, sleep. Determine what the minimum amount of time each of these requires in order to be done properly so that you can move on to the more meaningful things. The determine how much more time is left. Start allocating that time to the other activities.

Priority Ranking

Next, prioritize what things that need to be done. Short turn around, long range project, mid-range project. On your appointment book, fill in the deadline and try not to erase it or write over it. Now you have a map of what's on your plate. You can actually see what you have to do so you don't get overbooked.

Side Step Overbooking

But there's that little, new thing that is also a plus on the skills and experience development spectrum. It would only take a minute or two (well, maybe a little more than that) to do just that one project. How many more of these are you going to allow to slip into the program and cramp your time allocations? That "just one more" can, like pennies in a piggy bank, add up and break the bank.

Evaluate whether that "just one more" is really worth it. Maybe it can be deferred so you can give it proper treatment. Honestly look at your schedule and determine whether you really have time to do that little extra thing. After all, distractions detract from what you really need to do. Are you a writer? If so, your full attention to absolutely all of the details needs to go with each and every piece of copy. Mess up one, it can be explained. Mess up two, and credibility goes into question.

Give it Just Due

Make certain the main things have their full allocation and the best possible completion. Then accept the little extra -- if there's time. Having a portfolio of well completed projects is more important than having a raft of riff-raff. Your work -- all of your work -- speaks of who you are and what you can do on a routine basis. It speaks of your reliability.

Just a few tips for making that positive progress on your road to success. There needs to be balance in life and the schedule. Otherwise, the manna from Heaven may become the downpour from Hell and throw you miles behind your original starting point.

Want some good articles on being a workaholic?

• Workaholic
  
• Are You a Workaholic?
  
• Are You a Workaholic?
  
• Are You a Workaholic?
  
• Job burnout: Symptoms and remedies