The Hamster-Wheel of Work Life

By Nicky King

Is everything a priority? Are you constantly overwhelmed? Are you driven to respond quickly to emails, phone calls, etc.? Do you run from task to task wondering how you will get through the lengthy list of action items for that day? Are you constantly racing against the clock? Do things pile up to the point where you feel like you are failing? Are you always feeling like you could be doing so much better? Does this type of hamster-wheel thinking cause sleepless nights as you rehearse action items that needed to be accomplished that day? I wholeheartedly agree! This describes people, like me, that are driven to succeed and impatient with anyone or anything that gets in the way.

Accomplishment-oriented and driven personalities can be a blessing if it promotes helping others and meeting aggressive deadlines. Conversely, they can be a burden if every deliverable is automatically prioritized as URGENT. Stress levels are always kept on high alert! Brains and bodies in constant emergency mode quickly tire and burnout. Little to no energy is left in reserve to respond to anything unplanned. Constantly being on the edge of overload leads to exhaustion and should prompt us to seek a better way. We need to break the cycle before it destroys us.

Adopting an action plan for the following day is key. At the end of each day, we should prepare how to succeed the next day. It all starts with a conversation with yourself. With approaching deadlines and scheduled meetings, determine the top five action items that must be done tomorrow. Similarly, which ones can simmer until another day. Avoid long lists that are not manageable, otherwise it will end in failure. Allow time for unplanned deliverables, meetings, team building and breaks. We are only given energy and grace to get through one day at a time. By verbalizing “this is not a priority” helps to effectively manage stress only if we genuinely believe it and act upon it. Mindsets and actions need to change if we want to stop the hamster-wheel of work life. Once this becomes our mode of practice, we may even accomplish more as we learn to prioritize correctly.