The Hamster Wheel of Life.
Do you remember being busy two days ago? I don’t, sometimes. We engage in endless meetings, hopping from one to another, getting stuck in endless cycles of administrative tasks that leave us with no energy at the end of the day. So, you completely forget what made you busy, and most likely, it will be irrelevant a year from now.
We’ve all been through this at a certain point in our lives. How do we know when we’re on this endless wheel that stops us from engaging in meaningful lives and work?
Let me share a story with you. 5 years ago, I was mesmerized by the glamour of hustle culture and lifestyle. I thought there was only one type of success: reaching a certain level of professional achievement. I felt that giving all my energy to create work would eventually compound and help me grow. I thought that skipping lunch and breakfast for the sake of work was right, and I focused on one thing in my life: my job.
I’m sad that this escalated into a nasty burnout, and my health deteriorated. I’m glad to say that I needed to slow down to notice the life around me. I noticed how much I missed spending time with my family, attending special occasions, and doing meaningful things. It allowed me to learn a new definition of success: leading a healthy lifestyle and doing the things you enjoy the most.
Unfortunately, I also wrongly set unrealistic expectations for myself. I thought I had a cape wrapped around my neck, that I was a superhero with killer skills in EVERYTHING! Yes, everything. It is always good to picture yourself as a hero, but sometimes you must be realistic about managing your time and work.
I stacked my days full of work and errands, leaving me with little time to breathe, let alone rest from an eventful day. Sometimes, we overestimate the time it will take us. So, we end up running behind, unable to complete our work or tasks because we did not plan our day with our energy cycles in mind.
Energy cycles are important because they can help you plan your day better. If your energy dips, you can dedicate this time to work requiring little mental energy. Or, maybe it’s time to take a nap. This will help you remember that you’re a superhero in your own unique way, but all superheroes are still humans at the end of the day.
So, to help you plan your work and even life, ask yourself these simple questions when you’re overwhelmed with endless responsibilities:
Is it very important to me?
Does it serve my goals?
Do I have other options under my control?
If the answer is no, I would cancel or reschedule it for another time.
Next time you’re stuck in the thought of “I’m a superhero,” remember that you need to account for your human self (the real self, not the superhero). We always forget that we’re in control. Instead of having our environment control us, we must intentionally create environments within our control.