Are You Too Busy Working? You Might Suffer From Work Tunnel Vision
- Posted by glen on August 15th, 2007
While perusing everyone’s favorite bookmarking site, I came across this incredible photo of the Grand Tetons at night. While the picture alone is pretty impressive, the amazing part is how many planets you can actually see: The Milky Way, Jupiter, a kickin’ star named Arcturus, and the Big Dipper. That’s a pretty stellar cast. And it turns out that normally it takes five separate camera shots to get all of these high-profile stars/planets in a single frame.
Here’s the part that kills me: I spend 8 hours a day looking at 14 inches of computer screen.
I’m going to call this Work Tunnel Vision (WTV), for lack of a better phrase. This is when we only focus on what’s directly in front of us (job/career), as we pass by the finer points of life like friends, family, children, and even incredible starry nights. It keeps us from having proper perspective. It ensures that we work too long on stuff that probably isn’t that important. Ultimately, WTV skews our priorities.
It’s quite easy to lose focus on what’s truly important sometimes. This was just a gentle check to force us all to ask the question:
Am I focusing on what’s really important? Or am I too busy working?
August 15th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
I just went through that recently, and I’m only 22 years old. It wasn’t like I had a bad job. I had a great job, but it was still a job.
I realized you only live once, and I had something I wanted to try out.
I love the Work Tunnel Vision term. I had the same. I was in business school focusing on getting the post corporate job I could get. I didn’t really think of alternative ways of living until I started reading more about other successful people like Tim Ferris (4 hour work week).
Anyway, nice post. Just found your site and I look forward to reading your posts.
August 15th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Oh… you are so right. I work from home and I work constantly. I am struggling to find the perfect balance. Thank you for giving this a name!
August 15th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Like Jacqueline, I work from home and I was just thinking of this last nite. It is a constant struggle to find the right balance, almost like a negotiation that never ends.
But I’ve come to the conclusion that I might need to cut back a bit on work because I save very little time for leisure…we all know that saying about Jane and all work and no play. :)
Best. Sully
August 16th, 2007 at 9:30 am
[...] over at LifeDev has made a post about keeping free of tunnel vision when working. It’s not something I’ve thought of, but indeed something I have uknowingly suffered [...]
August 16th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I loved this post. I has come at a great time in my life. I’m a full time student, wife, mother, and part time teacher. It is easy to get tunnel vision in one area. My family is the most important thing in my life and I need to make sure I have time for them and myself.
August 16th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
At least you got a 14-inches computer screen. I got a much smaller one. :P
August 17th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I know that feeling. Sometimes I have to step back from myself to realize it.
August 17th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I’m certainly guilty of this one at times. I really try hard not to neglect my friends and family but I admit that I still have a tendency to work to hard.
August 24th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Believe it, I know exactly what you mean by ‘WTV’…
I’ve been working between 48 to 84 (!) hours a week for the last year and it cost me a divorce, a new set of furniture, most part of my social life and a car to realize that work doesn’t have to be EVERYTHING…
I now work between 36 and 54 hours a week, at the same place, but since my girl’s gone, I renewed contact with most of my friends and relatives (haven’t spoke to mom in 6 months) and now have found a better balance… But still, I don’t have much time to spend alone or looking for a girl… Nothing is perfect!
Keep smiling and believing in a goal outside of my job, I think that’s the key!
October 1st, 2007 at 4:48 am
[...] Are You Too Busy Working? You Might Suffer From Work Tunnel Vision [...]
November 20th, 2007 at 11:08 am
like the photo ;)
i think this one is better - http://www.flickr.com/photos/djsosumi/1164083929/
December 26th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
[...] Are You Too Busy Working? You Might Suffer From Work Tunnel Vision, LifeDev [...]
March 18th, 2008 at 12:52 am
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