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Hey Rebels,
Today is "help, I'm working too much but not as productive" day.
You face an uncertain future. The situation changes week-to-week, sometimes day-to-day under Covid-19. Some of the stress is global, and some is specific to your industry, workplace or family situation.
Uncertainty breeds stress, and stress breeds over-performing. (It also breeds under-performing, which is the subject for next week.)
Do these symptoms of over-performing feel familiar?
- Working constantly
- Not taking time for fun and joy
- Believing that if you work just a little more, you'll fix it, solve it, or find the answer
- Trying to look good to your superiors or colleagues
- Feeling exhausted
- Working a lot, but not feeling productive
"Hello, my name is Christina. I'm an over-performer." Let me rephrase that, thanks to 9 years of intensive personal and professional development I am a recovering over-performer so I have a few thoughts about what to do. In a nutshell, here's what I've learned:
- Recognize when you have crossed the line from productive and effective to over-performing. (Hint: You feel like your self-worth is wrapped up in your work. You start to feel resentful and exhausted. You are focused on looking good rather than being creative and serving.)
- Create structures to support breaks. Shut down your computer. Turn off your phone. Go out of town for the weekend and don't take your laptop. Chronic over-performers have to be forced to slow down and rest.
- Get clear about the difference between what's truly important in your work and the busy-work that makes you feel productive, but actually isn't. Do important work. Let the busy-work go.
- Unhook your sense of self-worth from your job. You are not single-handedly going to solve all the world's problems as much as you might like to. You are not a failure if you haven't yet stopped world hunger or systemic racism. Trust that you always know the next right step and that your future and career will unfold in the way it is supposed to.
Over-performing holds you back from doing the work you are meant to do as you get stuck in exhaustion and self-doubt. We need you. We need you to feel worthy and free so you can get about the important work of making the world the place you want it to be.
I hope that helps. Next week is for all you under-performers. Motivation, anyone?