Do you feel like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough? You wake up early, log in before the workday officially begins, and keep working long after you should have shut your laptop. Your to-do list is endless, and even when you check something off, another task appears in its place.
The more you try to get ahead, the more trapped you feel…
Sound familiar?
One of my clients was living this reality. She had a corporate 9-5 job, but in reality, her workday stretched from 7am until late evening. She juggled multiple projects that demanded her constant attention, and there was never a sense of completion - only the next deadline, task, and expectation. This feeling didn’t only exist in her work life either. It seeped into her personal life, where there was always something to do, somewhere to be, and an expectation to fulfil.
She came to me totally exhausted and stuck. Freedom was one of her highest values, yet she couldn’t see a way out. Bills to pay, parents who occasionally relied on her financially, and dreams of buying a home with her partner left her feeling like she had no choice but to keep pushing.
But deep down, the real reason she couldn’t stop overworking was that she didn’t feel worthy of rest. Growing up, she had been taught that success = proving herself - that her worth was tied to what she could accomplish. When her parents said, “Well done,” it felt like love - the only kind of validation she ever received. So she kept chasing that external validation, believing that only when she was ‘successful’ could she finally feel like she was worthy and enough.
The Overworking Trap
So many high-achieving women find themselves stuck in this cycle:
You take on more than you can handle, thinking it will lead to success
You tell yourself, “Once I finish this, I’ll finally take a break.”
You enjoy the “thrill” of having multiple projects on the go, but every task just adds more overwhelm
Rest feels uncomfortable, and you feel guilty for slowing down
So what do you do? You push harder, working longer hours, only to feel more lost, more of a failure, and more exhausted. And the worst part? It never feels like enough. No matter how much you do, fulfilment always seems out of reach.
Why We Overwork (And Why It Never Feels Like Enough)
Overworking isn’t just about having too much on your plate - it’s deeply tied to how we see ourselves and our worth. Here’s why it happens:
External validation: The feeling that we need to prove ourselves to be valued
Lack of boundaries: Struggling to say “no” even at our own expense
Fear of slowing down: Worrying we’ll lose momentum or fall behind
Tying self-worth to productivity: The belief that rest is unearned and only deserved after extreme effort
Ask yourself:
Have you ever been exhausted but still forced yourself to work longer?
Have you ever finished a major task and immediately moved on to the next without acknowledging your progress?
Do you struggle with taking breaks or feel guilty when you aren’t being productive?
The Cost of Overworking
The trap of overworking doesn’t just drain your energy - it robs you of your life.
Mental & emotional exhaustion: Over time, burnout, anxiety, and resentment build up.
Lost time for yourself: Things that bring you joy - whether it’s spending time with loved ones or simply resting—get pushed aside.
The illusion of accomplishment: You’re doing more, but it never feels like you’re getting ahead.
If left unresolved, the cost of overworking can be tremendous, and it can turn into regret. In The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware, the first two regrets are:
“I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
“I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
These regrets aren’t just words - they’re a wake-up call and a crucial reminder to all of us. They reflect the reality people face when they realise they’ve spent their whole lives chasing productivity at the cost of their own fulfilment, well-being, and freedom to live.
But here’s the thing: It doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t have to wait until you’re looking back with regret. You can break free from the cycle of overworking now.
How to Break Free
For my client, the turning point didn’t come from better time management techniques or stricter boundaries (although these certainly helped). The real transformation happened when she began to do the deep inner work that we did together through coaching.
Through our work, I helped her realise that her worth was not tied to how much she could do for others or how much success she could accumulate. Together, we rebuilt her belief systems so she could shift from thinking, "I need to do more" to deeply KNOWING that her value is intrinsic. She doesn’t need to prove herself to anyone.
As we worked together, she reclaimed her worth and her life. She no longer believed she had to be the “saviour” for her family or constantly prove herself at work. She learned how to set boundaries without guilt and started making decisions that aligned with her true self. This shift allowed her to stop overworking, let go of the guilt, and begin to live with purpose and ease.
Then everything changed. She was able to set boundaries without guilt, make more than enough money to leave her 7am-9pm job, and start a new career she loved. She no longer felt trapped because she finally believed she was worthy of the freedom she desired - and she claimed it.
Here’s what I want you to know:
You don’t have to work yourself to exhaustion to be successful
Your worth is not tied to your productivity
The cycle breaks when you stop proving yourself and start living in alignment with your true self
When my client did this inner work, everything changed. She was able to set boundaries without guilt, make more than enough money to leave her job, and start a new career she loved. She no longer felt trapped, because she finally believed she was worthy of the freedom she desired so she was able to claim it.
"If you can see it in your mind you can hold it in your hand" - Bob Proctor
Now It’s Your Turn
If this story resonated with you, I invite you to explore this further. When my client finally stopped overworking, she realised she wasn’t just ‘doing less’ - she was finally living...because she was giving herself permission to enjoy life without guilt.
And that’s what I want for you, too.
This isn’t about doing less - it’s about living more. It’s about recognising your inherent worth, setting boundaries, and reclaiming your time so you can thrive, not just survive.
If you’re ready to take control of your life and start living in alignment with your true self, I would love to help. Whether you’re interested in receiving regular insights from my newsletter or you’re ready to take the leap into personalised one-to-one coaching, I can guide you through the process of breaking free from overwhelm and creating the life you love.
DM me to find out more about my one-to-one coaching services, or click HERE to subscribe to my newsletter for weekly insights.
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