“Type A” Personalities

You have a “Type A” personality and you accomplish a lot. But sometimes you have difficulty truly enjoying those accomplishments. As soon as you reach a goal, you’re off to conquer the next challenge because relaxing is a waste of time—doing nothing elicits feelings of guilt or waste from you. You’ve got things to do and you’re in a hurry to get them done.

Not only do you not have time to stop and smell the roses, you don’t see what doing so would accomplish. Taking a break to do something fun doesn’t help you accomplish your goals and it might give someone who doesn’t take a break an advantage over you that allows them to win.

While you’re taking care of your career, who is taking care of you?

Your sense of urgency makes you a reliable employee who is trusted to get things done, but you don’t take time to relax. You often delay personal care tasks such as haircuts, dinners with partners or friends, and annual physicals because they take time away from your work.

You may feel as if you’re the only one who can accomplish the goals that need to be met at work. When others fall short of the high bar you set, you can get frustrated quite easily, which doesn’t always win you a lot friends. This can make you seem bossy and controlling because of the increased tension you feel when things aren’t going the way you think they should.

Do you remember the last time you truly relaxed?

Where were you? What were you doing? Was someone even more demanding than you in charge of the outcome? Do you remember how your body relaxed as if a weight was lifted from your shoulders? Do you wish you could feel that way again, but can’t trust anyone else to get things done?

Do you resent not being able to trust others to do what needs to be done, which leaves the burden on your shoulders? Are you always in a hurry, whether you’re walking, eating, or in a meeting? Do you take work home with you almost every day? Do you take work on vacation with you?

What if taking a real break is the key to winning?

You accomplish a great deal because you work hard continuously. You don’t have time to absorb the lesson in the books written by great leaders who describe the moments when life-changing insights occurred when they took a moment to relax. Or, you think they would have achieved the insight sooner if they worked at it.

People who have Type “A” personality traits tend to be on the less creative side. The reason for this is because creativity requires space. When you’re constantly working, you don’t leave room for insights to come to you. Your worry about missing out may cause you to miss out.

Despite, and often because of, all your accomplishments and hard work, you are statistically more likely to have serious health problems. What if you could accomplish even more with less effort by making some changes in the way you approach your life and work?

How Therapy Can Help You Do More with Less Stress

Think back, in all the training you’ve had over the years, did anyone teach you how to use your mind to maximize both your achievements and enjoyment of life? We don’t want to dissuade you from your goals, we want to help you achieve them without giving up your joie de vivre along the way.

Making an appointment is quick and easy. You can email, text, or schedule an appointment online if you are struggling with anxiety over your work ethic. It may be one of the most productive moves you ever make.