The HBR Work Smart Collection (4 Books)

2 Don’t Feel Guilty for Prioritizing Yourself over Work

by Donna McGeorge

When you’re young and just entering the workforce, it’s natural to feel anticipation, eagerness, and even anxiety. You’re likely to place specific expectations on yourself about what you want to achieve and how you want to grow. It’s very easy to believe that hard work and long hours are what you need to do to get noticed and succeed.

But here’s the thing: That’s not true. Prioritizing your work over your physical, mental, and emotional self is a recipe for burnout, regardless of where you are in your career. The more you fall into the spiral of working long hours at the cost of your health, the harder it will become to recover from the long-term effects of overwork. ...