Are Your Addictions Distracting You?

September is National Recovery Month, and while many addictions are frowned upon, some are socially acceptable. If a substance has you in its grip, you’re losing brain function to it. And if you’re a business owner or other type of knowledge worker, that means you’re losing productivity (and likely profit) as well.

I myself recently celebrated 16 continuous years free from alcohol. Not everyone who drinks or partakes of other substances is necessarily addicted to them, to be clear. But you might be more dependent on something than you think.

Addictions prevent you from having a productive day

What’s addiction anyway? Many people use substances on a regular basis and aren’t addicted to them. Though if this is you, you still might find some benefit from reducing or eliminating your usage for a period of time.

A bit of brain science: addictions work primarily through the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is a motivating chemical and not just a pleasure chemical. Dopamine is the brain’s way of saying, that was pleasurable, do more of it. (You can see how easily that can get to be too much!) 

Anyone who continues on down the path of addiction will eventually lose the ability to manufacture much dopamine anymore, because the brain gets used to being awash in the substance over time.

If the substance isn’t interfering in your life, you’re not addicted. But if you find you need the substance to get through the day or get through the tough times, you probably are. If you need it to function in society, you’re definitely addicted. 

And as you continue with the substance, you’ll get to the point where you’re no longer functioning all that well. Be honest with yourself: how necessary is the substance for you to feel like you’re having a good day, week, or month?

You may not be addicted, but you can still be overly dependent on the substance, which isn’t great either. This is why the “wine mommy” trope needs to die a horrible death. This trope is leading to an uptick in female alcoholism. If you’re drinking wine because that’s the only way you can relax after having a long day, you need some other coping mechanisms even if you’re not an alcoholic. 

Why is having too much of a “good” thing so bad for you? (Incidentally, new research is showing that no level of alcohol is good for your heart anymore.) By hitting that dopamine trigger artificially, your brain starts to be more reliant on the trigger to release the neurotransmitter. 

Plus, if you get too tipsy too often, you’re no longer doing the things that are actually good for your brain: spending time with friends and family, doing hobbies and activities, getting enough sleep, moving your behind, etc. Mediating time spent with your kids or friends with alcohol doesn’t allow you to have that deep social connection that human brains require.

Socially acceptable addictions aren’t any better for you and sabotage your time management skills

Did you think that there aren’t any socially acceptable addictions? I’ll give you two, even aside from the whole wine mommy thing: cellphones and workaholism. 

When you see someone (and maybe this is you) grab their phone in the middle of a conversation and start texting or scrolling, you probably don’t even think anything of it. That’s because it’s socially acceptable to many people. Which doesn’t make it any less rude or unnecessary.

And make no mistake, apps are designed to be addictive. That’s not hyperbole. The developers use the same dopamine pathways when they’re creating apps – yes the very same ones that can lead to being addicted to alcohol, Colombian marching powder, fentanyl, heroin, and other opioids.

That’s so you’ll stay on the app longer and see more ads, which means more money for the company behind the app. This is how so-called social media works. (You can easily get around this by turning off all notifications.)

If you told someone that you spent 14 hours knocking back Jack Daniels all day, they’d think you were a drunk. But if you say you spent 14 hours working, that’s acceptable. It doesn’t mean you’re actually accomplishing anything, and you’re probably doing a lot of unnecessary menial tasks. But workaholism is often celebrated – though probably not by your family.

Why are these two addictions so bad for productivity? Similar to using other substances, you don’t spend enough time doing the things that are good for your brain. All the hours at work mean less time socializing with friends and family, which helps recharge the brain. Note that all the so-called blue zones, where people live long healthy lives, all have strong (analog) social networks.

When you’re interacting with your phone, you’re not interacting with other humans – and no, you’re not multitasking even if it feels like you are. You’re probably not getting enough exercise or sleep, and you’re not involved in your favorite activities either.

How to foster a more productive workplace by being smart about your brain

Be honest, how much time do you spend on your cellphone? How many hours do you spend at work? The occasional 12 or 14-hour day is necessary for entrepreneurs, but bad on a regular basis.

If you’re doing the wine mommy thing, you’re probably stressed out. There are better ways to leave work behind, though, that will also make you more productive the next day. Destressing and recharging doesn’t necessarily mean vegging out on the sofa with a glass of wine or staring at the TV. 

You could read a book (in a fave genre, not self-help or business or biography if they bore you), do a hobby, hang out with friends with non-alcoholic beverages. Because now there are a ton of interesting and tasty beverages that won’t get you wasted or even a little tipsy.

There’s a lot you can do to destress. I also know someone who’s running a sober & healthy summit (full disclosure: I’m a contributor). It’s free and here’s the link: https://www.explore-lifecoach.com/

If you’re worried that you won’t be successful if you work fewer than 14 hours a day, we should talk. You can get more done in a shorter period of time by using your brain and working with it instead of against it. If you can’t stop compulsively looking at your cellphone, the first thing to do is turn off ALL notifications and charge it outside the bedroom.

Recap (tl; dr):

Even socially acceptable addictions can get in the way of a more productive day. Use your time management skills to build in destressors instead of relying on substances.

If you have too much work for too few hours, schedule a call with me. I may be able to help so you can avoid burnout and support your brain.