I’ve always been obsessed with productivity and action. I pride myself on “getting it done” and being a high achiever. But it wasn’t until I bet on myself and became my own boss two years ago that the pressure of constant hustling led me to a breaking point.
When I ditched the paycheck safety net, I felt that if I was to be earning, I had to be constantly producing. With my solid work ethic, I thought this would be a (liberating!) breeze. Turns out it wasn’t.
Any moment I wasn’t at my laptop or on the move, I felt bad. I felt uncomfortable. I felt guilty. So I filled up my calendar with meetings, said yes to undesirable projects, and was bustin’ my booty. But the result was not what I hoped for. Instead of feeling in control, excited, and free, I felt stressed out, resentful, and alone.
This year has taught me about the importance of slowing down in order to speed up. Here’s what I’ve learned.
1. Always ask yourself: “Why?”
Sara Blakely, the founder of SPANX, taught me this</a…