When we underdeliver at work, life gets dull and meaningless. We stop holding ourselves to a higher standard. We settle for less, and we stop respecting our work that much. We end up with more time and leisure on our hands, but lose the fulfilment that comes with throwing ourselves wholeheartedly into our jobs.
Yet this generation suffers from grotesque, crushing overwork in the modern workplace. Work is the short-term espresso shot that fuels us and gives us immediate positive feedback that we’re making progress in life. But in the process, we become victims of the very burnout that renders all this progress meaningless. We sleep too little, eat too poorly, and stop connecting with the ones we love. At what cost?
It’s common to vacillate between throwing ourselves deep into our jobs, and then emerging from them completely shattered and exhausted. We then attempt to completely disconnect in fatigue and resentment. How is this ultimately productive and fulfilling for all of us?
A way to look at it differently, is to find that sweet spot just right before the edge of tumbling into a cycle of exhaustion, take two small steps back, and operate at a momentum that keeps us fulfilled and on our toes, yet still provides space for us to catch a couple of breaths. This means that if you think you can power on and crush that report by two in the morning, maybe consider getting an early night in – and crushing that report by eight in the morning after feeling completely rested.
The ability to find a state of heightened balance can go a long way.
Working Woke 