Are you someone who is overly self-critical? Never satisfied? Outcome focused? Or terrified of failure? You are not the only one. You’re an overachiever. You strive for perfection, but your definition of what it means to be perfect is never enough. You want to be productive every hour of every day, but don’t realize that rest can also be productive. These are qualities I struggle with. I have a hard time understanding boundaries, when I have overworked myself, and when it’s time to take a step back. Although this is easier said than done, it is crucial to take the necessary steps of relaxation in order to avoid burnout.
Accept Failure
This can be a foreign concept to many people; one that scares and intimidates us. Accepting a defeat can take a toll on our mental health and how we perceive ourselves. Although this is a difficult task, it is essential to practice in times of stress and disappointment. Having the ability to understand that we, as humans, will not succeed in every aspect of our lives will create room to breathe. By no means should we not have high expectations for ourselves, however, strength comes when we’re knocked down a few pegs, strength comes with how we respond to our failures.
Enjoy the Process
It’s all about the journey! Taking a step back to observe how we achieve something can be an extremely rewarding experience. Recognizing how hard we work can do great things for individual self-esteem and confidence; limiting our future selves’ ability to be overly critical. It can also be beneficial to slow down the process. We are always in a rush; it’s our natural essence as human beings within the society we live in. Sometimes, taking a simple pause can do wonders for productivity and increases energy needed to continue a process.
Ask Questions
Constantly check in on yourself. What are your motives? Is there a timeline for your current project? How will this task benefit you? It’s important to monitor yourself throughout the process to ensure goals are being met in a healthy manner. Are you getting enough sleep? Eating enough to fuel your body? Making time for social life and self-care?
Live in the Moment
Overachievers live in the future, constantly anticipating the next outcome, or the next step in life. This can create a challenge when it comes to enjoying the present, and avoiding anxiety about the future. Try to focus on now. Enjoy time spent with friends, family, and outside around other people, instead of holding yourself back from enjoying the little moments in order to “be productive.” Enjoying yourself is being productive! It contributes to strong mental health and overall happiness.
Learn to say no
You cannot please everyone, and that is okay. All that matters is that you please yourself. It’s okay to say no to plans, to a challenge, or anything else. As an overachiever, it is only natural to attempt to take on one million different things at one time, despite the negative impact it could have on our happiness. We must learn to put ourselves first. We must learn that it’s okay to not always rise to the occasion and that at the end of the day, our physical and mental well-being comes first.
If you’re like me, this list seems scary, daunting, and unrealistic. I created it to hold myself, and anyone else who wishes to better themselves, accountable. Are these challenges attainable? We are overachievers, right?
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