W.A. World Service Organization Newsletter
Living in Balance E-NewsetterJuly 2014
In This Issue
24 Things Only People That Work Entirely Too Much Will Understand
Where should our 2015 conference be?
W.A. Meditation Book needs member meditations.
Quick Links
 
We hope this letter finds you with a great balance of work and play and enjoying your life.
 
The 2014 W.A. World Conference in Malibu, CA is being held this week! See more info below.
 
The article "24 Things Only People Who Work Entirely Too Much Will Understand" is a humorous look at the problem we all know too well. See more below.

Sincerely, 

Michele S., Outreach Coordinator
Workaholics Anonymous

July Quote  


"Leisure is only possible when we are at one with ourselves.
We tend to overwork as a means of self-escape,
as a way of trying to justify our existence." 
 

Josef Pieper, Leisure: The Basis Of Culture
 

24 Things Only People Who Work
Entirely Too Much Will Understand
By Chevonne Harris 

"Oh to be young, gifted and on the fast track to success. If you're one of the lucky few who actually enjoy their job, then you know pulling yourself away from a desk you actually don't mind sitting at is easier said than done. Perhaps I Want to Work for Diddy and The Devil Wears Prada are eerily too close for comfort.

Late nights, skipped meals, caffeine highs and conference calls; as annoying as it is, you wouldn't trade it for a day of paid vacation (admit it, you actually enjoy the humdrum of the AC kicking on and off). There's a thin line between hustling hard and a legit obsession with your job, and we're treading dangerously close to the latter.

But it costs to be the boss, and this is our toll to success. So, to all the people who are on a first-name basis with the office cleaning crew, are unfazed by empty parking lots on dark nights and can't go more than 20 minutes without checking an email, this one's for you."

Whoo-Hoo! The Conference is Here!

We have about 90 people registered for the conference this week
at Serra Retreat in Malibu, California, August 1st-3rd!
 
Online registration is now closed, but if you still want to register, please contact [email protected].  There is no more spaces available for lodging, but local commuters are still welcome. 
 
 
Write to [email protected] with any questions. 
 
If you need transportation from or to the airport contact us.
 
Questions on meeting schedule and/or speakers.
 
 If you want to be a part of the hospitality committee.

Questions about special dietary needs.

Want to donate auction items (see below)

  

 The Conference page has a link for the Program of events, meetings and speakers that are scheduled so far. The Hospitality Committee and Silent Auction Committee are planning the "right stuff" for snacks and fun. 
 
We ask for items for the Auctions (live and silent) from our attendees. These can be most anything we have had from toys to small original art works, to hand crafted items and offers for services like letter writing, knitting scarves, etc. Put you thinking cap on and come up with clever items that may be fun. 

Saturday morning has the General Assembly Meeting where you meet and greet the Trustees, and watch the election process for the 2014-2016 Board. WSRs, delegates and others are welcome to offer their Group's suggestions for prioritizing the service efforts of the Board; and identifying and considering any other items of business which affect the recovery program as a whole and for which it is felt that Conference and/or Board action is needed.

We hope to see you there!
W.A. World Conference 2015
 

We are all excited about the upcoming W.A. World Conference in Malibu this summer. However we do need to look forward to 2015 and make a decision on where it should be. 

 

Any ideas where you would like to see it next?

 

Would your group like to host the conference? We would love to hear from you!

 

Our W. A. Past Conference Locations:

 

2004 - San Francisco, CA 
2005 - Portland, OR 
2006 - St. Petersberg Beach, FL 
2007 - Portland. OR
2008 - Ocean Grove, NJ 
2009 - Raleigh-Durham, NC
2010 - Menlo Park, CA 
2011 - Austin, TX 
2012 - Portland, OR 
2013 - Chicago, IL
2014 - Malibu, CA 
Conference Call Line for ALL Phone Meetings
 
(712) 432-0363 
New Check In Phone Meeting!
 Every Wednesday 
 
7:00-7:30 am PST
8:00-8:30 am MST 
9:00-9:30 am CST 
10:00-10:30 am EST
 
Call: 712-432-0363 Access code 118778#
 
The call is brief for check-ins and fellowship.
 
Contact email:
 Your W.A. World Service Board Engaged 
 

Outreach

 

In each e-newsletter I include a monthly inspirational quote, as well as a helpful article relating to work addiction / workaholism. If you have any favorite quotes or you see something online that you think our members would benefit from, please send the URL to my email and I'll take a look to see if we can add it to our
e-newsletter.

 
Interested in being a part of W.A. Outreach? I would love to grow our W.A. 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. 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:  [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