W.A. World Service Organization Newsletter
Living in Balance E-NewsetterJanuary 2014
In This Issue
Your W.A. Board Engaged
Wonderful Article About Workaholism in the Sydney Morning Herald!
Registration Open for 2014 W.A. World Conference
W.A. Mediation Book needs member meditations.
Quick Links

Brrr... we know it is cold out there for a lot of you this winter, 
so we hope this finds you in warm and happy spirits and it not,
we hope we can do a little part in helping you get there! 
 
Our Australia members have sent us a GREAT article on workaholism that was in the Sydney Morning Herald! 
See info on full article below.
 
Early registration is available for the 2014 W. A. World Conference in Malibu, CA. See below for details.

Sincerely, 

Michele S., Outreach Coordinator
Workaholics Anonymous

When a passion for work careers into an addiction.
 
Great article addressing our "respectable addiction" in the Sydney Morning Herald.  Sent by Debi, one of our Australian members.

The term workaholism was coined half a century ago by American psychologist Wayne Oates. He defined a workaholic as "a person whose need for work has become so excessive that it creates a noticeable disturbance or interference with his bodily health, personal happiness and interpersonal relations, and with his smooth social functioning." 

For every workaholic who craves the sense of achievement work delivers, there is a workaholic driven by insecurity and perfectionism, warns organisational psychologist Leanne Faraday-Brash. "It's not about getting a reward for effort," she says. "It's about trying to stave off fear and anxiety." Read more here.
   20 Scientifically-Backed Ways To De-Stress Right Now

In the Huffington Post, sent by Amber, our Literature Chair 


What's your stress "tell?" For some, a quickened heart rate or a slight feeling of queasiness is enough to let them know they're getting anxious or overwhelmed. But just as a slight from your boss or bad news from a family member can get your stress hormones pumping and your blood pressure rising quickly, you have the power to reset almost instantly.

 

The good news? Just as we have a stress response, we also have a "relaxation response," during which your breathing slows, your blood pressure decreases and you even use less oxygen, reports the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 

 

Read entire article here. 

Workaholics Anonymous in California!
2014 - Malibu Here We Come!

The W.A. World Service Conference will be held in Malibu, CA
July 31-August 3, 2014. We will be staying at the Serra Retreat Center
which has a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean!


Early registration is now available.
Conference Call Line for ALL Phone Meetings
 
(712) 432-0363 
 Your W.A. World Service Board Engaged 
 

Outreach


Thank you to all of you who send me fantastic articles about workaholism and ways to bring some welcome stress relief to our sometimes busy lives. If you see something online that you think our members would like to see please send the URL to my email and I'll take a look to see if we can add it to our e-newsletter.

I am  also looking to those interested in being on the Outreach Committee. One of the things I would like to get help with is contacting websites that are online that are discussing workaholism in hopes in helping others and let them know  about W.A.. Please contact [email protected] if you want to come on board!  Michele S.

Technical Committee

We are moving along in our progress on  the new W.A. website! We are hoping to have  it done early this year. The new website design will have an improved design, improved features and new shopping cart. 

Literature

In addition to the ongoing process of developing our W.A. Meditation Book (see below for details), We have a couple of exciting projects planned for the near future - including some edits to our existing literature, a formatting facelift for our brochures and mailings, and even a new pamphlet on the topic of work anorexia/avoidance (which will ideally help members to overcome procrastination, perfectionism, and related fears).  

 

Please help with the revision process (easy service opportunity!) by contacting literature@workaholics-anonymous.org with any recommended changes that you or your group stumble upon as you read through the books and pamphlets, perhaps notating them as you read and including them all in a single email when you finish.  Do not be shy about voicing your ideas - from sweeping substantive concerns to tiny grammatical errors - as this is your literature.

 

If you are interested in joining the Literature Committee - or would like to otherwise consult on any of these ongoing projects - I would love the support. Again, please email literature@workaholics-anonymous.org for details.

 

Love and service,

Amber, W.A.W.S.O. Literature Chair

 

Communications 

  

The W.A. Communications Department is adding to our sponsors list for new members. We are particularly getting a lot of requests from women. Want to sponsor? Please contact [email protected]

We are currently seeking a professional representative to speak on behalf of the fellowship and respond to public press releases that may misconstrue the reality of being a workaholic. See more information below.
 
 

TO CONTACT THE WAWSO TRUSTEES BY EMAIL:  

For general information:  Anne [email protected]

For meeting assistance:  Laura [email protected]

For WA Literature volunteers or corrections:  
Amber [email protected]

For e-newsletter:  Michele [email protected]

For STORYLINE:  Shelley [email protected]

For WSR assistance:  Bob [email protected]

For Meditation Book:  [email protected]

For 2014 Conference:  Amy [email protected]

For literature ordering questions:  [email protected]

General mailbox:  [email protected]

 

For any Program issue, concern, initiative, suggestion, etc.:

Bruce A [email protected]

Jerry S [email protected]

The W. A. Meditation Committee is writing a 
W.A. Meditation Book.

 

We welcome all members to write and submit meditations for this publication. Consider having a writing play day for your meeting group. Not only would this activity provide opportunities for reflection and meditation, but it would also allow group members to make contributions to a book that will serve the needs of the whole fellowship.

 

A suggested meeting format for writing meditations is available at the WA website. For more details about submitting meditations, please visit the W.A. website. 

 

Also, a suggested meeting format for writing meditations is also available at the W.A. website here for you to view. 

 

We look forward to receiving your meditations!!
Have fun with us!!

 

Your trusted servants,

W.A.W.S.O. Literature Committee

 

Interested in Becoming a Meeting Group Mentor?

Among the many support opportunities offered by WA, perhaps the richest are those created through relationships with fellow members. Across the globe people are forming meeting groups and sharing the message of recovery. We are excited by the growth of the fellowship, particularly in the number of people expressing interest in organizing meeting groups.

Because starting a meeting group can be an intimidating process, we would
like for beginners to receive a mentor during their initial stages of meeting development. Mentors offer service through answering questions and providing suggestions as needed for members beginning their meeting groups. Currently, we are in need of more mentors and would like to extend this service opportunity to members of the fellowship.


If you are interested in serving as a mentor for those starting meeting groups, please contact me at [email protected]. More information will be provided upon receiving your expressed interested.

With gratitude,
Laura R.
Request For Sponsors

W.A. receives requests regularly for sponsorship from people seeking recovery from workaholism. We do receive more requests for female sponsors. We need to add to this list so we can help the new members in our fellowship. We keep a confidential list of volunteers who are willing to take this on.  If you are willing, please send us an email with your contact information (or any other information you feel a sponsee should know) to: [email protected]
 
Your information is kept confidential to protect your anonymity. We will contact you with a person's contact information when someone requests, offering you the opportunity to respond.  Your offering of this service will be of great value to your recovery, as well as to the person you would be sponsoring.
 

Group Support Section on Website  

 

There are helpful tools and materials available here that you can download for your group; meeting formats, types of meetings, tips on outreach, W.A. Public Awareness Guidelines, archives to news letters and much more!

 

 W.A. Seeks Professional Representative for Our Fellowship

As workaholism has become a widespread concept in public media, the ways it is communicated about can often create more misconceptions than understandings. In this regard, members of Workaholics Anonymous are currently seeking a professional representative to speak on behalf of the fellowship and respond to public press releases that may misconstrue the reality of being a workaholic. If you know of someone or have suggestions for who might serve as a reputable spokesperson for WA (who is not affiliated with the fellowship), please send your recommendations to Laura R. [email protected]
 
Supporting W.A. Seventh Tradition Contributions

Our Seventh Tradition provides that W.A. is fully self-supporting; declining outside contributions. WAWSO welcomes contributions from W.A. groups and members. One hundred percent of all contributions directly support recovery from workaholism. Carrying the message of recovery to workaholics who still suffer includes email and phone services, a quarterly newsletter, media and community outreach, literature development and distribution, this website, an annual conference, meeting information and support, and other outreach services. Please print out and send this Seventh Tradition form 
to support W.A.'s Outreach.

NOTE:
by Credit card or Paypal. Thank you for your generous support. 
Please contribute what you can for your meetings. :)

W.A operates on contributions from it's members and literature sales. Please don't forget to go online and make a contribution to W.A. if you only go to phone meetings. You can click here donate.

Purchase Our Books Online!

 

The Book Of Discovery

Book of Discovery, W.A. WorkbookA guide to the 12 Steps  


The Workaholics Anonymous Book of Discovery is a
guide that provides step instruction, questions, activities, and stories-all with room to write and reflect as necessary, in a large spiral-bound, three-hole punch volume. The book is designed to lay completely flat so as to be easily used for writing as well as for protective storing in a three-ring notebook of your choice with other loose or extra pages if desired.  This workbook can be used alone, with a sponsor  or used with a group in a meeting format. 

Click here for online purchase    You can also purchase through the mail.  Price: $25. Plus $4.95 shipping and handling anywhere in the US. Send your check to WSO Web Payment Center, PO Box 56416, Portland, OR, 97238.

 

 
 
The Book of Recovery

W.A.'s first publication, The Book of Recovery is our main text. It has valuable information for all recovering workaholics; history, stories, guidance in working the steps and tools to help you with your recovery program! Click here for online purchase