On my latest episode of The Conscious Reality Show , I interview four members of the anonymous 12-step recovery group, Workaholics Anonymous (yes, that’s a real thing), about what it is like to be a workaholic or activity addict, why they got into recovery for workaholism and activity addiction and what it’s like now that they are in recovery from workaholism and activity addiction.
Turns out, retiring from paid work doesn’t necessarily mean retirement from workaholism or activity addiction. If anything, the activity addiction can flare up when folks no longer have the boundaries of what is “work” and what is “not work” to keep them sane.
I get this. I really do. Especially in this time when so many of the people I know who have retired from paid work have time to spend (and worry) about the state of the country. Whether its trying to protest fascism from rolling into our streets, our cities, our businesses, our elections, our bodies or our private lives, stopping Israel’s relentless attack on the people of Palestine, or advocating relentlessly for a green economy or end to homelessness, there’s almost no end to the “work” to be done in the world.
I found myself grateful the other day for the number of healthy stable retired people we have in this country right now. Who else has the bandwidth to fight for our democracy when many of the people most affected are just trying to put food on the table and not get deported or imprisoned?
Indeed, I recently started a weekly (Tuesdays at 5pm) in person in Sacramento and on Zoom meetup to make those calls, send those texts, schedule those protests.
Yet, like the workaholics I interviewed today, now that I control my own time I have to be twice as vigilant about setting boundaries on my time as I did when I had a conventional day job.
Tool of the week
We do not add a new activity without eliminating from our schedule one that demands equivalent time and energy.
Reflection Questions
- Are you more drawn to your work or activity than close relationships, rest, etc.?
- Do you take on extra work or volunteer commitments because you are concerned that things won’t otherwise get done?
- Do you immerse yourself in activities to change how you feel or avoid grief, anxiety, and shame?
- Let me know what you think
Resources
- Answer these questions to see if you’re a workaholic
- Workaholics in Retirement open (meaning you can just show up) weekly meeting at 11amPT Thursdays
- Message me if you want the address or connection info for the Tuesday 5pm weekly Save the World meetup
- Next No Kings Rally is Saturday, October 18 — Find your nearest rally here
Check it out
- Wednesday, October 8, 9 am US Pacific Time, “The Conscious Reality Show with Sara Stevens Nichols” on the New Thought Media Network streaming live at www.youtube.com/@ConsciousRealityShow
- Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 12 pm US Pacific Time, “Healer, Heal Thyself” monthly drop-in spiritual/physical coaching session on Zoom in 2025. Register at csasacramento.org/2024/12/healer-heal-thyself
- Sunday, November 30, 2025, 9am and 11am services US Pacific Times; Speaking at Center for Spiritual Awareness, 1275 Starboard Dr., West Sacramento, CA or stream live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/csasacramento
Sara Stevens Nichols is always a writer, a teacher, a minister, and a public interest advocate, and sometimes she even gets paid. She is currently a staff minister at the Center for Spiritual Awareness in West Sacramento. She is also the host of The Conscious Reality Show, which began in 2024, and the author of Snicholsblog, which has been active since 2004. Her book (working title, How to Know What You Know) is expected to be released by DeVorss Publications in the spring of 2026.