Most days, high achievers plow through the day checking things off their lists, crushing their goals without pausing to recognize their accomplishments.
They also have busy minds filled with new ideas and have a hard time shutting off which can be very exhausting, not only for them but also for the people around them.
There’s this constant need for achievement and they feel like every day starts at zero.
At the end of the day (EVERY SINGLE DAY) they want to feel like they have accomplished something so that they feel good about themselves, otherwise they feel dissatisfied.
That’s definitely me and if that’s you as well, we need to be careful. This way of being can feel rather unfulfilling but thankfully there are some things that we can do to help ourselves.
I’m sharing with you some tips I’ve learned, either through books or podcasts that I try to incorporate into my life, especially when I’m in a period of stress. I’ll admit, I need constant reminders to do most of the things on this list as they do not come naturally to me.
This post is a short but important one because if these five tips can help you beat exhaustion and feel more fulfilled, then I’m happy!
Set realistic goals
Make sure the goals you are setting for yourself have realistic timelines. Sometimes we forget to consider all that is going on in the world around us that can impact the achievement of our goals. I like to look at the overall year at a glance and see what we have going on before I commit to my goals. Things like your child’s prom, a wedding or moving homes can take up a lot of time and so, for those periods, you may want to take the petal off the gas a little. I feel like if we don’t consider these events and then we don’t meet our goals, we feel disappointed. Yes, other stuff will always come up as well, but at least we have a good, realistic base to start.
Take frequent breaks
Taking time to recharge is so important. Whether it’s taking a day off or scheduling smaller breaks throughout the day, it gives us space to breathe and reset. We are not built to go a million miles a minute and if we don’t take care of ourselves, it can lead to burn-out. This might be setting boundaries for yourself or maybe it’s going for a quick quiet walk with no podcast in your ears. I can’t tell you how many times my husband tells me to relax and do nothing. This is certainly not easy but when we slow down, it gives us time to reflect, regain clarity and feel more rested.
Celebrate your wins
Take time to look at how far you’ve come. You are not the same person you were three, six, twelve months ago. You’re constantly making progress but I bet you’re not recognizing, celebrating or rewarding yourself for these gains. Something you might want to try to incorporate in your end-of-day routine is listing your three wins of the day. This way you go to bed feeling good about what you’ve accomplished in your day. And these don’t need to be all business wins. Your wins should be the things that made you happy that you accomplished or made time for. It might be something as simple as; I took time to grab a coffee with my best friend.
Do something for fun
Incorporate more play in your day where you can completely disconnect. Energize yourself with something that you are passionate about. You could also find hobbies or things to do where you have fun and lose track of time. When I was in business school, we had a coaching session with an Enneagram coach. She talked a lot about high-achievers and how important it is for them to completely disconnect. Once you know what these activities are for you, schedule them in your day like you would any other event and protect those time blocks.
Reconnect with yourself
Take some quiet time in solitude to pause and ask yourself how you’re feeling. Be honest with yourself and others about your feelings and needs. High achievers can be so laser-focused on their goals and getting ahead that they lose a sense of what they truly want. Invest the time to discover your core values and what is important to you.
Being a high achiever has its many perks but it is not always easy.
But when we learn to give ourselves permission to take breaks, have fun and celebrate our successes, we feel energized and fulfilled.
I have coaches and friends in my corner who continuously remind me to pause and recognize how far I’ve come and I’m here to remind you of this as well!
If you’re like me and this resonated with you, please do your best to incorporate at least one of these tips in your day-to-day. I know when I do, it makes a difference in how I feel and I know it can work for you too!
If you found value in this post, please share it with someone you know who could also benefit from these tips.
You can also subscribe to my newsletter, where I share tips and resources, and you will be notified when new blog posts are released. No spam, I promise!
photo by andrea piacquadio
