Are you a workaholic ?

The other day I happened to interact with my PhD Supervisor Prof. Narayan Rangaraj who had come to Bangalore to my home and also Alliance central campus. He casually made the remark and asked me from seeng my workplace and hom setup, whether I am a workaholioc ?

His comments made me think deeply. Actually I realised that I was indeed one, al my social interactions had reduced though family interactions were strong, I preferred being at my work area or on my desktop machine, keeping mysefl busy with academic reading and writing, preparation for classes and the like. I searched on the internet how to break free from work-aholism and here is what I got using generative AI in ChatGPT.

Break Free from Workaholism

 

Turning away from being a workaholic can be a challenging but worthwhile endeavor. Here are some steps you can take to help you break free from workaholic tendencies:

1. Recognize the signs: Be honest with yourself and acknowledge that your workaholic behavior is negatively impacting your overall well-being, relationships, and quality of life. Reflect on the consequences of being a workaholic and the areas of your life that have been neglected.

2. Define your priorities: Clarify what truly matters to you beyond work. Consider your personal relationships, health, hobbies, and other interests that bring you joy and fulfillment. Identify the areas of your life that you want to prioritize and make a conscious decision to allocate time and energy to them.

3. Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Determine specific working hours and strive to stick to them. Avoid bringing work-related tasks or thoughts into your personal time. Communicate your boundaries with colleagues and set expectations with your employer regarding your availability outside of work hours.

4. Delegate and collaborate: Accept that you cannot do everything on your own and learn to delegate tasks to others. Trust your colleagues or employees to take on responsibilities and share the workload. Embrace collaboration and teamwork, which can help alleviate the need to shoulder the entire burden yourself.

5. Take breaks and practice self-care: Schedule regular breaks throughout your workday to rest and recharge. Engage in activities that promote relaxation, such as meditation, exercise, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones. Prioritize self-care and ensure you are getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

6. Develop a healthy work-life balance: Strive to achieve a healthy balance between work and personal life. Allocate time for activities that are not work-related and that help you rejuvenate. Create a schedule that allows you to pursue your personal interests, spend time with loved ones, and take care of your physical and mental well-being.

7. Challenge perfectionism: Workaholic tendencies often stem from a desire for perfection and fear of failure. Recognize that perfection is unattainable and that mistakes are part of the learning process. Embrace a growth mindset that allows you to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and improvement.

8. Seek support: Surround yourself with a support system that understands your desire to change your workaholic habits. Share your goals and challenges with trusted friends, family members, or even a therapist. They can provide guidance, encouragement, and accountability throughout your journey.

9. Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress as you gradually transition away from workaholic habits. Recognize the positive changes you have made and the improvements in other areas of your life. Celebrating milestones will help reinforce your commitment to a healthier work-life balance.

Remember, breaking free from workaholism is a process that takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself, and remember that your well-being and overall happiness are worth prioritizing alongside your professional achievements.

#49 - a Platelet donation

Here is the billions story .. The other day I was contacted by the head of hematology dept Dr Rajalakshmi saying there is an urgent need of platelets at St John's hospital Bangalore for a cancer patient. Considering this as a God given opportunity I decided to visit St John's blood bank. 

I donated 350 billions of platelets at St. John's hospital on 5 July 2023. My fortyninth blood donation.. 

😁

In the platelet apheresis machine it starts at 0, then goes to 1 x 10** 11, then 2 x 10**11 and then 3 x 10**11 and finally 3.2 x 10 **11. It takes about 45 minutes when the whole blood from our body goes into the apheresis machine and only platelets are taken out, about 300 ml platelets total. Two and a half hours I spent at the hospital, right from tests etc.. 

Each patient needs upto 75 ml platelets at a time and so my 300 ml platelets gets used by 4 patients or 1 patient over 4 times.. A whole blood donation on the other hand, gets used only by 1 patient, whichever component he needs, either platelets or RBC or plasma and other components are wasted.

Apheresis is thus a very efficient procedure. 🙂🙂🙏

Earlier with platelet apheresis, after 2 days I used to get a small low back ache. But after the end Feb 23 WBC apheresis and the platelet apheresis now, I have had no low back ache.  The daily consumption of cod liver oil capsules has been having a positive impact on my health of late. Thank God. Waiting for the 50th donation, which in all likelihood will be again a platelet apheresis..

George..