For many professionals, looming deadlines and fully loaded calendars aren’t seen as a burden—they’re a kind of fuel. The rush of racing against the clock can provide an adrenaline surge that sharpens focus and accelerates productivity. There are careers to build, goals to hit, side projects to grow, families to care for, fitness benchmarks to meet, and personal development to pursue. The pressure-cooker environment that often defines modern work culture creates a strange dynamic: we lament the constant stress, yet often find our highest levels of efficiency and motivation within it.
The constant activity can also be comforting. Being busy gives us a sense of progress and significance, while stillness can feel unsettling or unproductive. Yet, as with most stimulants, stress in high doses becomes toxic. It’s no longer a motivator—it’s a slow, cumulative drain on our mental and physical health, impacting sleep, decision-making, mood, and long-term performance.
It’s worth asking: are we not just tolerating stress—but relying on it? Bestselling author and performance coach Heidi Hanna has explored this idea in depth, suggesting that many professionals are in a state of “stress addiction,” a neurochemical feedback loop where constant pressure activates the brain’s reward system. Stress produces a temporary dopamine spike, creating a sense of drive and accomplishment. But, over time, we start needing higher levels of stimulation just to feel normal. As a result, relaxation can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable—like something is wrong when everything is calm. This makes winding down feel more like withdrawal than rest.
If this feels familiar, it may be time to take a step back and reflect on what your high-gear lifestyle is really achieving. Ask yourself some key questions: What are you ultimately trying to accomplish? Are your current efforts and schedule aligned with those outcomes? What are the things you care about most—health, family, personal growth—and how much time and attention are they receiving? Do you have control over your time and choices, or are you running on autopilot, reacting to urgency over intention? And most importantly, what are you getting emotionally from staying so busy? What discomfort are you avoiding by staying in constant motion?
One of the most effective strategies for reclaiming balance is learning to edit your day. Start by identifying the things you’re doing out of habit or obligation rather than value. Trim back social media habits, unnecessary meetings, or outdated routines that no longer serve your goals. Consider what could be delegated, delayed, or deleted entirely. By removing just a few nonessential obligations, you make space to invest more fully in what truly matters.
Begin to carve out dedicated time for important-but-not-urgent projects—those strategic, creative, or personal growth efforts that often get pushed to the sidelines. Schedule just two focused hours a week and protect them fiercely. These quiet priorities are easy to ignore because they rarely scream for attention, yet they’re the ones most likely to move your life or career forward in meaningful ways. When you plan around your priorities rather than squeezing them in, you change the entire structure of your productivity.
Don’t underestimate the power of your physical environment, either. Clearing physical clutter—old files, unused gadgets, outgrown clothes—can improve your focus and reduce the friction that wastes energy during the day. The less noise and distraction in your surroundings, the more mental clarity you’ll experience.
Be intentional about adding enjoyment into your life, too. Schedule activities that bring you energy, whether it’s hiking, painting, dancing, or simply reading something that’s not work-related. These aren’t luxuries—they’re fuel. The positive emotions and renewed motivation you gain from doing things you love can make you more effective in everything else.
Finally, set boundaries. You don’t have to say yes to every request or deadline. In fact, some of the most respected professionals are those who know when to say “not now” or “here’s what’s realistic.” Perpetual stress will always be available—but fulfillment requires discipline. Choose what you allow in, and celebrate incremental wins. Progress doesn’t need to feel like chaos. It just needs to be intentional, meaningful, and aligned with what matters most to you.
