High performers are known for putting their health on the backburner. The catch? It’s impossible to optimally perform WITHOUT your health.
65% of employees said they experienced burnout in 2023 according to HR Dive. 65%!
As a high performer, your goal is to prevent burnout so you can continue to perform optimally. I promise you don’t want to take the time to deal with that healing and recovery. I haven’t worked with a high performer yet that was happy to have forced downtime to heal.
The problem is that high performers are naturally inclined to overwork and workplaces have a tendency to take advantage of this.
I have spent my career as a high performer learning what leads me to injury, illness and burnout and helping other high performers thrive in and out of work.
Top 3 Practices to STOP Sacrificing Your Health:
1. Prioritize Work-Life Balance
Don’t get lost or discouraged with all the work-life balance noise out there. Instead find and define a work-life balance that works for you.
This is all noise and distractions. You need some form or work-life balance to NOT sacrifice your health. Without your health, you cannot perform. I’ve seen health issues take down its fair share of high performers for weeks and months.
Ideally this means:
- Two full days off of work a week to recharge and this doesn’t have to be on the weekends depending on your work schedule. But you want and need time away from work. Studies show this makes you more productive and creative.
- Plans with family and friends doing things you LOVE to help you RECHARGE.
- Taking REAL vacations and there are studies that show this increases your chance of raises and promotions.
- And my favorite tip for high performers – FIND a hobby you love. Why does this matter? Because unless you’re working with someone like me that gets to the root of why you overwork, then you’re really going to struggle not thinking about work and then doing work in your time off. Hobbies that make you happy and feel recharged are your key to successfully creating a work-life balance that supports you.
2. Prioritize Sleep
There is so much noise out there telling you how to optimize your day by sleeping the minimum and this cuts into your sleep time.
Sleep is necessary for you to stay healthy, happy and productive. If you aren’t sleeping enough you are more likely to get sick, to be irritable and to be less productive and creative.
I’ve had so many clients stay up late at night or wake up crazy early to have some time to read or exercise, whatever it was that they wanted to do and didn’t have time to do during the day.
The answer isn’t to take time FROM your sleep.
Less sleep is NEVER the answer, so please stop doing this immediately. Instead you want to take time from where you’re overgiving and draining your energy more. This is where boundaries and saying NO comes into play. And making YOURSELF and your sleep a priority.
If you want to have more energy and not hit a wall everyday at 3 pm, the answer is getting enough sleep for YOU.
3. Prioritize Joy
I’ve been teaching my high performing clients for years to prioritize joy. You know what the reaction is EVERY SINGLE TIME? Wide eyes.
Most high performers have no idea what brings them joy. They’re so work focused and then everyone else focused. They don’t have the time and energy to do things or even know what brings them joy.
Teaching my clients to prioritize joy is also my most stolen tip by other coaches that have worked with me through the years to use with their own clients.
Find out what is FUN for you to do. You may have to do some research but when you dive deep, you’ll know. I often tune into my clients and have a few ideas to get them started.
When you prioritize joy, you’ll find you are able to recharge quickly and you’re happier.
Burnout and being on the path to burnout is a norm.
The problem is that you’re sacrificing your health. Without your health, you can’t do very much. Which one of my top 3 tips above will you start implementing right away? Tell me below, I want to know.
I hope you will implement each of these 3 tips because as a high performer they will help you perform better and prevent burnout.
Remember, burnout is completely preventable and you are here for MORE than your work. Machines have to be plugged in, you do too!
