What Is Overtraining?
The fear of overtraining comes from outdated/under-researched ideas of the limit of how much volume humans can lift. Average (or above average) exercisers generally do not have to worry about overtraining. Pushing too hard, too fast can lead to injury, but intentional, slow development from a well designed workout plan allows for people to safely train hard.
Work Out Harder, Not Smarter
Working out harder is the primary goal of a smart training program. You shouldn’t worry about having the perfect program, and should focus on putting in the effort if you want results, especially in the long-term.
Lifestyle Scope Creep
Scope creep, the accidental inflation of a project over time, can happen in many areas of work and personal life. When we let scope creep get out of hand, it can lead to overwhelming issues that create more work than necessary or undo progress we already made. Habit scope creep is when your habits take up more and more of your time that they start to have negative effects on your life like take up all your time, cause too much stress, or lead to burnout. One of the best ways to combat habit scope creep is to regularly assess if what you’re doing aligns with your goals and what’s important to you. Quitting and move on from things isn’t bad - it ensures that your valuable time is spent on what really matters.
Most Of Productivity Is Just Managing Your Environment
Productivity is more about removing barriers to focus rather than having the most ideal setup, brilliant strategies, or the newest tools and accessories. Managing your environment by minimizing distractions naturally creates better work flow, which means getting more done. Having a space where you’re away from interruptions, turning off notifications or putting your phone away where you can’t readily check it, or wearing headphones to block out noise are all methods to keep focus on your work. Everyone’s environments are different and have different obstacles to productivity. What works for some people won’t work for everyone. Figure out what methods work for you and how you can best control the amount of distractions around you.
Is It Okay To Work Hard For Yourself?
Quitting isn’t bad - it’s an important skill to have. You can’t do everything, so you have to be okay with quitting things that you don’t enjoy or aren’t beneficial to you. Laziness, too, isn’t inherently bad. It’s a natural part of life and the cycle of productivity. You can’t always be doing something, and laziness helps us recuperate from the energy we expend. Forcing yourself to work tirelessly at all things (your day job included) doesn’t bring more productivity, satisfaction, or money - so you need to assess if it’s really worth your time. It is okay to work hard when you want to do it, especially on things that bring you happiness or make you feel proud of what you accomplished.