Are you a workaholic? If you are, there is a "holiday" just for you. July 5 is National Workaholics Day. Instead of skipping lunch like you normally do, take lunch (or Zoom lunch) with coworkers – it's a first step in "curing" this condition. The workaholic condition might be one of the hardest to break because it is one of the few socially acceptable conditions a person might have. While many people think being a workaholic is good, it actually has more drawbacks than you would think.

Signs of Being a Workaholic

You might be thinking, "Well, that's an easy one – I don't stop working." It's more than that, though. Workaholics often have anxiety, do not have a social life, or are unhappy. They do not admit that they have a problem. However, making work your first priority can affect your health. You could suffer from impaired cognitive function from sleep deprivation. If you are staying at the office until all hours of the night and then showing up before the start of the workday, you are working too much and 1) not getting enough sleep, 2) ignoring your family and friends.

While achieving a good balance between work and life can be difficult, it is something you should do – for your health most importantly. These steps can help you achieve that balance and hopefully rid you of anxiety and sadness – if you are feeling these symptoms.

Make Yourself Take Lunch

Even if you don't want to eat –sit outside, take a walk, or do something, but get out of the office. Don't even look at your social media or anything else that requires a device. Even if you have to vacuum the house (if you work at home) to get yourself away from all of your devices, do it.

Set a Time to Leave

If you normally stay at the office after hours, pick a time to leave. Stick to that time every day. If you can't manage to leave at 5:00 p.m. and you normally stay later than 8:00 p.m., set your time for 6:00 p.m. You can cut it down another hour after a few weeks of the "new" late time.

By the same token, do not leave for the office earlier than you need to in order to get there on time. If you work from home, pick a time and stick to it – preferably around 9:00 a.m., but no earlier than 8:00 a.m. If you start working earlier, you should plan to leave earlier.

Leave Work at Work

Regardless of whether you work in an office or your home, do not check your work email after hours. Unless your job requires you to respond to emergencies, ignore texts and phone calls when you are off the clock. Your coworkers will just have to understand that you need to have some time for yourself.

Transition In and Out of Work

If you drive to work, use the drive as your transition time to allow you to walk into your house and be ready to spend time with family or friends. If you work from home, take 10 or 15 minutes to think about what you want to do now that your day is done and then get crackin'.

Don't Forget to Socialize

Working all the time doesn't leave room for play and that can be stressful on relationships. Start scheduling time to spend with family and friends – away from work. Don't discuss work. Turn off your devices and give your family and friends 100% of your time while you are with them.