Ambitious and Exhausted? Why High Achievers Must Stop Ignoring Their Health

Victoria Canham • 13 November 2024 • 7 min read

"Taking care of yourself isn’t a break from your ambition; it’s the fuel that drives it."

High Achievers, High Exhaustion

You’re ambitious, hitting goals, and making things happen. But here’s the million-dollar question: if you’re so successful, why are you always so... exhausted?

If you’re like most high achievers, you’ve got your productivity tools, your goal-setting apps, and your colour-coded calendar, but somewhere along the line, self-care got booted off the schedule. Sure, “health is wealth” and all that, but who has time to prioritise health when there are big things to achieve, right? The irony? The more you ignore self-care, the faster you burn out, and suddenly all those “big goals” start feeling impossible (or at least impossible to enjoy).

The truth is, self-care isn’t just a “nice-to-have” for the spa crowd. It’s the fuel that keeps high performers from becoming high-functioning zombies. So, if you’re constantly on edge, reaching for the coffee, and secretly fantasising about hibernation, it’s time to face facts: skipping self-care isn’t saving you time—it’s robbing you of energy, focus, and joy.

And let’s be clear, self-care is not just bubble baths, herbal teas and yoga, it is also going for a walk to clear your head, leaving work on time just because the sun is shining, saying no when you really want to, putting your phone down at a reasonable hour and so many more things. And self-care doesn’t have to taste gross (I’m looking at you Green Tea).

Why High Performers Tend to Neglect Self-Care (And Why That’s a Mistake)

The “More Is Better” Mentality

Let’s be honest: if “overdoing it” were an Olympic sport, most high achievers would be meSub-Headlinedalists. Somehow, pushing past limits has become the standard, and the idea of slowing down feels like admitting defeat. The reality? When you’re grinding harder and harder, the only thing you’re actually winning is a one-way ticket to burnout.

Self-Care Feels Like a Luxury

For a lot of ambitious people, self-care is seen as something for “other people”—you know, the ones who “have time” to lounge in bubble baths or meditate in silence (who are these people?). You’re out there hustling, hitting goals, and adding bullet points to your CV. But here’s the kicker: treating self-care as a “luxury” you’ll get around to later doesn’t make you more productive; it just makes you more stressed. If your wellness plan is “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you’re already on a slippery slope.

The Fear of Losing Momentum

High performers tend to feel that even taking a five-minute break might knock them off track and cause the whole system to crumble. The irony? Exhausting yourself in the name of momentum isn’t really momentum at all. Think of it this way: you wouldn’t keep driving a car with the fuel light flashing, right? (Unless your strategy is “let’s see how far we can make it before breaking down,” which is a strategy many high achievers seem to embrace.)

The Real Cost of Ignoring Self-Care

Physical Burnout

You might think you’re powering through, but your body knows better. Chronic fatigue? Check. Aches and pains? Check. Reliance on caffeine strong enough to keep a small city awake? Check. A sugar high to rival Willy Wonka? Check. High achievers like to think they can outsmart exhaustion—until the body sends up a red flag. The truth? If you don’t listen when it whispers, it will eventually start screaming. Cue heart attack stage left!

Emotional Fatigue and Irritability

Burnout doesn’t just leave you tired; it leaves you a delightful bundle of stress, irritability, and nerves. If you find yourself snapping at your partner for breathing too loudly or giving your dog the side-eye for existing, it’s probably not them—it’s burnout. When you’re mentally drained, even the best parts of life feel like obligations, and your patience is nowhere to be found. It’s not you; it’s that little thing called ignoring self-care.

Decreased Productivity

High achievers often think that skipping self-care equals more time for work. Ironically, the opposite is true. When you’re running on fumes, your productivity takes a nosedive, your creativity goes into hiding, and even simple decisions start feeling like major life choices. So if you’re skipping self-care to “be more productive,” newsflash: it’s not working.

The Benefits of Self-Care for Sustained Success

Increased Focus and Creativity

Let’s flip the script—self-care isn’t about taking a break from work; it’s about getting better at it. Imagine you’re a smartphone (stay with me here). If you never plug in to recharge, how useful are you going to be at 1% battery? Spoiler alert: not very. Regular breaks, mini wellness routines, and actual rest all bring back your focus and creativity, so you’re working at full charge—not just surviving on “low power mode.”

Better Decision-Making

When you’re exhausted, even picking what’s for dinner feels like a tough call. Self-care—whether it’s a workout, meditation, or a meal that doesn’t come in a takeaway box—clears the fog. Refreshed brains make better choices. Think of self-care as a productivity hack; it helps you make decisions with confidence, instead of relying on the magic of “I hope this works.”

Resilience and Adaptability

Life loves bowling Shane Warne level googlies, and self-care is your batting practice. High performers who make time for wellness are far better at handling stress and rolling with the punches. Without it, every tiny change feels like an earthquake. The secret to keeping calm under pressure? Making self-care a non-negotiable part of your game plan.

Actionable Self-Care Tips for High Performers

1. Start Small: Five-Minute Micro Breaks

Think you don’t have time for self-care? Think again, if you don’t make time for self-care, you’d better make time for serious illness. Start with just five minutes of stretching, deep breathing, or even staring blankly out the window. Five minutes isn’t going to throw your schedule off, and it’s a quick way to remind your brain and body that, yes, you do in fact care about them.

2. Create a Non-Negotiable Wellness Routine

Set aside a chunk of time every day that’s purely for you. This doesn’t mean you need to meditate on a mountain. Even ten minutes in the morning with a cup of coffee (see? No herbal tea here) and no phone counts. Think of it as a mandatory meeting with the most important person in your life: you.

3. Schedule “Wellness Wins” in Your Calendar

If it’s not scheduled, it’s not real. Treat self-care like the most important meeting of your week, and put it on the calendar. Whether it’s a workout, a coffee date with a friend, or a guilt-free nap (secret weapon), make it official. Your productivity—and sanity—will thank you.

4. Rethink Productivity with Energy Management

Time management is great, but if your energy is spent, you’re just scheduling exhaustion. Instead, try energy management. Align your hardest tasks with your peak energy times, and give yourself breaks when you’re lagging. It’s less about squeezing in more hours and more about making the hours count.

5. Make Space for a Weekly Reset

Think of this as your personal “system update.” Since you’re new to this, dedicate one hour each week to hit reset. Reflect, breathe, and ask yourself what’s actually working. An hour to reset isn’t taking time away from work; it’s giving yourself a chance to refuel so that you can hit the ground running the following week. As you get better at it, it will become easier and you can allocate more time to self-care.

Self-Care as a Tool for Success

Here’s the deal: self-care isn’t about bubble baths and “treating yourself.” It’s about sustaining yourself so you don’t crash and burn. Being ambitious doesn’t mean you have to be exhausted. The irony is, the more you invest in self-care, the more you’ll actually have to give.

Success and self-care aren’t opposites—they’re best friends. So if you’re tired of feeling constantly drained, start by making one small self-care commitment today. Because reaching your goals won’t mean much if you’re too burnt out to enjoy them.

After all, what use is ambition if chasing it kills you?

Ready to make self-care a priority without losing momentum? Let’s create a wellness strategy that powers your success. Book a complimentary tactical call to get started.

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Victoria Canham - Your Performance Partner

Victoria is an ICF-accredited certified professional coach, who offers personalised performance coaching. With a background in change management and countless hours of professional coaching training and experience, I made the big switch to full-time coaching in 2020. I know what it is like to suddenly have the rug pulled out from under you while you're busy making other plans, as a result, I now help people like you to bounce back from adversity and major setbacks to emerge stronger and better than ever before. Our clients have transformed from feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges to confident, goal-driven individuals who navigate life's obstacles with ease. They've achieved their personal and professional objectives and embodied peak performance in all aspects of life. You too can experience this transformation. This is your moment. Your chance to take control, to choose growth over stagnation, achievement over inaction. This is your opportunity to prove to yourself that you're not defined by your challenges—you're defined by how you rise above them. Are you ready to transform your life and achieve peak performance?