Why Can It Be So Hard To Stop Working?

The work ethic we pride ourselves on can become an overwhelming burden, causing us to lose perspective on what is genuinely important. The late Stephen Covey promoted the concept that we need to take time to sharpen the saw so we can cut more wood in the same amount of time. Why is this concept so hard for so many of us?

This month, we will examine (1) Why it’s so hard for us to stop working, (2) What we can do to help ourselves, and (3) The benefits of taking a break.

Losing Perspective

There is a curious conundrum in leadership. The harder we work, the more important we begin to feel. The more important we feel, the harder it becomes to step away. Before long, our work ethic, one of our greatest strengths, can quietly become one of our greatest liabilities.

Stephen Covey reminded us that if we want to cut more wood, we need to periodically stop and sharpen the saw, yet many of us struggle to do exactly that.

Why? Because somewhere along the way, we began to equate being busy with being valuable. We convinced ourselves that no one else could do what we do as well as we can. We don’t want to disappoint people. We love to accomplish. Sometimes we simply don’t know how to stop. The result is predictable: Our perspective narrows.

Problems that would normally seem manageable suddenly feel overwhelming. We begin making mountains out of molehills. Our patience shortens. Creativity fades. Decisions become more reactive than thoughtful.

Ironically, working harder often inhibits wisdom.

Research supports what many of us have experienced:

• Chronic stress reduces creativity and complex problem-solving.
• Decision fatigue increases poor judgment.
• Continuous work without recovery lowers productivity, even when we spend more hours working.
• Leaders who regularly recover from work demonstrate higher engagement, resilience, and emotional intelligence.

Gaining Perspective

Stepping away allows one to rest, but the greater gift may be the perspective that distance from the everyday grind provides—it allows us to remember what is truly important.

Reflection

What molehill in your life has started to look like a mountain simply because you haven’t stepped away long enough to regain perspective?