Finding the Right Work Level

In the pursuit of professional excellence, it's easy to fall into the trap of overperforming or underperforming, striving for perfection or settling for mediocrity. For years, I found myself caught in this cycle, burning the midnight oil, working tirelessly to meet self-imposed standards that left me feeling drained and disillusioned.

I used to measure my worth by the magnitude of tasks I tackled while showing management it was easy – not knowing that weekends blurred into weekdays as I poured myself into my work, convinced that anything less than total dedication was a failure. Yet despite my Herculean efforts, my performance ratings sometimes matched those that didn’t care about their jobs, and would get a good rating.

What I failed to realize was that by setting the benchmark impossibly high for myself, I inadvertently raised the expectations of my superiors to an unsustainable level. After time, pulling rabbits out of hats and my relentless work ethic was not viewed as exceptional, but as the norm.

Meanwhile, I observed with frustration as colleagues who seemed to exert minimal effort received similar performance ratings. It was disheartening to witness someone literally falling asleep at their desk and still earning a 3 out of 5 - a rating that I know others in the team receive after a stellar year.

Look a 3 out of 5 is still great, but what levels do managers use to measure? It might not be fair to compare your team members, especially they may vary at different levels of seniority, but true success isn't only measured by the number of hours worked or the volume of tasks completed, but by the impact one makes and the value they bring to the organization – again, no matter their seniority!

This is something that I’m going to put even more time into moving forward. I will make the effort to recalibrate my definition of success, striving for a balance between productivity and well-being. I will set boundaries to protect my time and energy, prioritizing tasks based on their importance rather than their perceived urgency - and I will encourage my team to do the same. Delegating effectively and trust in the abilities of my team members, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility, will definitely be the way forward.

Performance ratings may not be perfect, but they are a reflection of the journey one can take to find the right balance for myself - and that, to me, is the true definition of success.