Resisting The Urge to Overwork Out of Habit

Issue 18 |

Have you ever hit a home run in your career or personal projects, only to find yourself feeling unexpectedly uninspired or bored afterward?

This is common for high achievers. You might feel guilty for not working as hard now, or worry that you’re not being challenged enough.

But what if those feelings were actually signaling something positive?

Perhaps that sense of boredom or lack of challenge isn’t a problem but an invitation to elevate to your next level.

When things become easy, it’s not a sign to push harder on the same tasks or create unnecessary hardships to feel busy and fulfill your muscle memory to overwork.

Instead, it may be an opportunity to explore new frontiers.

This is your chance to use the extra mental, emotional, and spiritual space you’ve earned to tackle fresh, exciting projects. Those feelings of underutilization are not indictments of your current success but are, instead, pointing you towards areas and goals you are now more equipped to explore.

So if you find yourself in this position, don’t succumb to the pressure of perpetual hard work as the only path to fulfillment. Recognize the freedom you’ve created through your past successes and channel your energies into new directions. This shift can rekindle your passion and drive and pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable relationship with work that won’t take you to the brink of burnout.

Allow yourself to embrace this phase as a deserved evolution in your journey, where less grinding means more opportunity for growth and innovation. Your next project is waiting to be revealed.

You’ve already done the work.

If you haven't gotten your copy of The Rest Revolution, it's available everywhere online even in audiobook form. Go here to buy it at your preferred retailer.

If you're looking for tools to help you become a better student of yourself, you're in luck! Self-discovery is kind of my thing. Package Your Genius - my first book - is a critical read if you’re looking to transform your expertise into a brand you can monetize. The Package Your Genius workbook is great, and I have a few digital tools in my shop here.

?? In The Press - TRR On LinkedIn Live with Daisy Wright

Last week, I did a fun LinkedIn Live with Daisy Wright, ACC, CCDP ???? ! We had an awesome conversation and you can watch the replay below.

?? Recommended Reading | How To Use Creativity To Recover From Burnout, According To A Poet - My Latest for Forbes

Burnout is about exhaustion, but it’s also about losing the ability to be energized by the things that once fueled you. Stephanie Pruitt Gaines , a poet-turned-entrepreneur, knows this firsthand.

After years of working as a professional artist—traveling for speaking engagements, creating interactive poetry installations, and consulting on the power of creativity—Pruitt-Gaines found herself at a crossroads. Caregiving for her in-laws, managing the emotional toll of midlife, and reassessing the sustainability of her career forced her to hit pause.

“I wasn’t going to just jump back into the public speaking and writing poems the same way,” she says. “I felt very different, and that always comes through in my work.”

Rather than force herself back into the familiar pace of overworking, she leaned into creativity in a new way by building The Creativity Bar, a playroom, makers space, and co-working space where adults can indulge their creativity. Located in Donelson, TN, just outside Nashville, it’s designed to help people reconnect with joy, curiosity, and a sense of possibility. ?? Read How To Use Creativity to Recover From Burnout, According to a Poet in Forbes

More Session Times Added: 90-Minute Brand Brainstorm for Seasonal Clarity

I‘ve been having so much fun doing my February 90-minute brand brainstorms for seasonal clarity! Major testimonials coming soon, but just a heads up, I still have a handful of spots left for this incredible opportunity to get clarity and a strategy for your next season of work and life.

If you saw the special and wanted to take advantage but missed out, here’s your last chance. I have a couple of spots left on my calendar, and I’d love the chance to work with you.

?? Grab one of the last spots here → [Book Now]

If clarity and an individualized strategy are what you need heading into this next season, get on my calendar.

About Amanda Miller Littlejohn

If we haven't yet met, I'm Amanda Miller Littlejohn and I am a nationally recognized executive coach, personal branding strategist, mental health advocate, and author of The Rest Revolution. For over a decade, Ive helped high achievers—from corporate executives to creative entrepreneurs—clarify their genius, package their expertise, and achieve visibility and influence in their fields.

I am a 2024-2025 Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Fellow whose work has been featured in Forbes, The Washington Post, and Fast Company, among other major outlets. Drawing from my own journey of overcoming burnout, I now teach professionals how to balance ambition with alignment. Through my signature programs, including the Package Your Genius Academy and Seasonal Clarity, I empower leaders to build powerful personal brands while reclaiming their rhythm and redefining success on their terms.

I love hearing from readers - drop me a comment or send me a message to say hi!