Overcoming Overwork (HBR Women at Work Series)

6

Burning Out? Give Yourself Permission to Dial It Back

by Kate Northrup

You’ve heard the stats on overwork and how huge of a health risk it is. You’ve read the productivity articles and books indicating that loading up your week with more work hours doesn’t actually improve your results. And while the idea of dialing it back not only sounds appealing and is backed by significant data, giving yourself permission to do that is something else entirely.

There are many reasons why we put in more and more hours despite increasing evidence that it’s not only not effective, but also shortening our lives. There’s the pressure to look like a hard worker who’s available at all times, especially in industries where responding to a client or your boss’s ...