Don’t Believe the Lie About Overachievers
Don’t Believe the Lie About Overachievers
People are often misguided into thinking that overachievers are happier because they get more work done. This is far from the truth, as happiness is not directly related to the amount of work you do, but rather how it’s balanced out with your personal life.
While it’s tempting to think that overachieving would lead to a happier life since they have a few more accomplishments than their peers, it’s really not that simple. All the time they have to put in to get there has to come from somewhere.
On the surface, it might appear that they’re happier because of how well they’re doing with work, but behind the scenes, they’re missing out on their own personal lives. They’re missing out on relationships and socialization for the sake of work.
When you work too much, you can only keep it up for so long. While an overachiever might be able to go on for years working longer shifts and taking more time to put towards work, eventually they’ll crash.
Instead, you need to be consistent and balanced out, and by doing so, you’ll stay happier and healthier longer, and be more content with the job you’re working at. This leads to greater productivity in the long run while also making you happier.
You shouldn’t necessarily avoid a bit of overachieving, but you shouldn’t strive for it, either. If being a bit more involved in your work is what brings you a better work-life balance, you should go for it.
However, don’t forget that the balance is the key. Don’t ever do more than you reasonably should, and don’t fool yourself into thinking that doing a bunch more work is going to make you happier or be the solution.
By taking more time and putting it towards your personal life, you’ll be able to maintain healthy relationships with your friends and family, and you’ll be able to focus on your own mental health and get to relax.
When you allow yourself to focus more on your personal life, you can fix neglected problems in that area, such as issues in relationships or emotional problems of your own. This decreases stress, which is very important for your physical health.
Learn to be content doing the best you can do all around, not just at work. You want to give it your all when it comes to self-care, relationships, parenting, and yes, work projects, too.