WILL YOU REGRET YOUR ‘WORK HABITS’ ON YOUR DEATH BED?

I know this is a pretty big question and some might reject it as fast as you read it, but it’s probably one of the most important question you could contemplate from time to time as a corporate professional.

Working in corporate can be a tough gig and at certain times of the year (and some may say all year round) it is absolutely relentless. I remember in one of my marketing roles I could receive 200 or more emails a day. I had to stay attached to my inbox just to keep it under control morning, noon and night. Overtime was a given and the more hours I could dedicate to the job the better. Getting in early and leaving late was my normal.

‘What is your normal?’

At the time I didn’t realise that these were just ‘bad habits’ that I had actually formed by choice. I hadn’t created boundaries for myself in my work and personal life and would just give everything over to the job at the expensive of my family, health and personal time.

When we think of our ‘bad habits’ we often think of weaknesses to things like chocolate or not doing enough exercise, but we seldom contemplate our working behaviours as ‘habits’. Many corporates do a whole lot of overtime, for example. They are constantly stuck to their computer or mobiles. They don’t realise that this is not what they have to do. This is a habit they have formed and decided to do, because they haven’t applied work/life boundaries.

Becoming conscious of your formed work habits and reviewing and adjusting them to suit your life and requirements can be liberating. And as you will see in the article below, it could save you from a whole lot of regret in later years.

To become more conscious of your habitual work behaviour ask questions like,

What am I missing by doing overtime or being attached to my work phone/laptop out of work hours?

Am I actually using overtime at work to avoid anything?

What memories am I missing at home?

What does overtime allow me to escape from?

How many hours of overtime do I do per week?

Is my overtime affecting my family dynamic?

Would all of this overtime be meaningful to me if I was in my last weeks of life?

Questions like these can be confronting, but they can also really put things into perspective for you. They make you realise, ‘Wow! This is my life and I don’t want to regret anything!’

The following article from The Guardian really brings it home.

TOP 5 REGRETS OF THE DYING

A nurse has recorded the most common regrets of the dying, and among the top ones is 'I wish I hadn't worked so hard'. What would your biggest regret be if this was your last day of life?

There was no mention of more sex or bungee jumps. A palliative nurse who has counselled the dying in their last days has revealed the most common regrets we have at the end of our lives. And among the top, from men, in particular, is 'I wish I hadn't worked so hard.'

Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives.

Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. "When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently," she says, "common themes surfaced again and again."

Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again." Ends.

So What Now?

Being aware that 'how you work' is your choice, and it is in your power to change it removes blame, and makes you fully responsible for your own career. This can be hard to swallow for those who have been complaining about their work stress and pressure for a long time, believing it was solely the job or the company creating their situation, but inevitably it will also bring you freedom.

When I realised the enormity of this, I quit my job, took a well-deserved break and then completely reinvented myself and my career. Now I have a career on my terms and a life I love. I don't miss a thing! Of course, it was initially scary and there were a lot of scary moments along the way, but I will definitely never regret it!

What will you do when you realise the enormity of this??I hope it's sooner rather than later. ??

To find out more about Bronnie Ware check out her website at: https://bronnieware.com/blog/regrets-of-the-dying/

And if this has hit home for you and you are a CEO, C-Suite or Entrepreneur and want to know how you can create a new level of excellence, send me a private message me or schedule a call directly @ https://calendly.com/lizdingle/executive-excellence

Find out more about my coaching - https://www.executiveexcellencecoaching.com.au/