When Less is More; Let's Stop Glamourising Burnout
sneak peak: it's okay not to go above and beyond all the time; sometimes less is more
This post is specifically for all the people who stop reading after one paragraph because they can't be bothered to get the whole way to the end. What I mean by that is: this is a very short post.
Sometimes we don't have a lot of time. Sometimes we don't have a lot of resources. Sometimes we don't have a lot of energy, ideas, spark. So what? "Immy, what exactly are you trying to get at here?.." Funny you (I) should ask - I'm not trying to get at anything. I'm just stating facts.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, we can't go above and beyond and give 100% and some (not mathematically possible, I know), and we need to start acknowledging it.
I'm fed up of people burning out after going at a bajillion miles an hour all the time, kept going by the fear of how they'll look if they don't. Burnout is glamourised and hailed as a symptom of chronic hard worker syndrome, "I'm just so dedicated to what I do that I don't know when to stop"-itis.
If you go at it hammer and tongs all the time, your best becomes your norm, but at the expense of everything else. Bests have to be sustainable, and pushing yourself so unfalteringly isn't the way to do that.
Sometimes less is more, and sometimes a little bit less is all you can do, and we need to start acknowledging that.
- post #14 of 21 in the 21-day challenge -
This post is specifically for all the people who stop reading after one paragraph because they can't be bothered to get the whole way to the end. What I mean by that is: this is a very short post.
Sometimes we don't have a lot of time. Sometimes we don't have a lot of resources. Sometimes we don't have a lot of energy, ideas, spark. So what? "Immy, what exactly are you trying to get at here?.." Funny you (I) should ask - I'm not trying to get at anything. I'm just stating facts.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, we can't go above and beyond and give 100% and some (not mathematically possible, I know), and we need to start acknowledging it.
I'm fed up of people burning out after going at a bajillion miles an hour all the time, kept going by the fear of how they'll look if they don't. Burnout is glamourised and hailed as a symptom of chronic hard worker syndrome, "I'm just so dedicated to what I do that I don't know when to stop"-itis.
If you go at it hammer and tongs all the time, your best becomes your norm, but at the expense of everything else. Bests have to be sustainable, and pushing yourself so unfalteringly isn't the way to do that.
Sometimes less is more, and sometimes a little bit less is all you can do, and we need to start acknowledging that.
- post #14 of 21 in the 21-day challenge -
Didn't bother reading past the first sentence, sorry
ReplyDelete"Oh I have such a good idea for a comment," he says sitting opposite me, laughing at his own wit as he types. ;)
DeleteExactly so, and if anyone can be bothered/isn't too tired to read up on it there is plenty of research showing that our optimum, long-term performance level is 80% with very short bursts at 100%. It probably won't come as a surprise to know that your car is much the same; compare an F1 car and all the mechanics required to allow it to run at 100% all of the time.
ReplyDeleteSo, take a walk out of the office, have a breather and a cuppa and then get back to it. You are not, and must not be, defined by your job.
Time for a wee lie down.
Interesting, I didn't know those stats! So many memories from school of being told off when I dipped from giving 100% to giving about 90%...
DeleteYes to a wee lie down - sometimes it's what you need to keep some sanity!! I think we could all take a tip from our Mediterranean buddies and nap more often. Especially at work. Maybe with puppies to cuddle too.