But it didn’t go the way I’d hoped.

The feedback stopped me in my tracks: “You’ve got your finger in too many pies—it’s hard to see your impact!”

That hit me where it hurts! It was a wake-up call. I thought my hard work would speak for itself. Instead, it was creating noise, not clarity. I was building a brand of being helpful, busy, irreplaceable… but not strategic, not focused, not ready for the next level.

That moment taught me something really important: Overworking doesn’t get you ahead—it just keeps you busy – too busy to manage your career.

Let’s break it down through our usual three lenses:

Mindset: We’re often raised to believe that if we just work hard enough, success will follow.

I disagree.

Shift your mindset from  “My work will speak for itself.” → “I need to speak for my work.”

“If I’m indispensable, I’ll be promoted.” → “If I’m always indispensable, I might get stuck where I am.”

Being busy isn’t the same as being seen. It’s not a sign of success—it’s often just a reaction to everyone else’s stuff!

Behaviour: Proactively Manage Your Career (Not Just Your To-Do List) Overworking often crowds out the very things that help you grow. Try this instead:

✅ Create Space for Career Strategy– Block time weekly to think about your goals, not just tasks.

✅ Ask: What Brand Am I Building?– Every action you take shapes how others see you. Choose strategic visibility over volume.

✅ Lead with clarity not capacity– When you’re clear on your value, you can protect your time and energy.

✅ Show Your Impact, Don’t Just Deliver – Make your results visible. Share outcomes, not just outputs.

Which of these will you commit to this week?

Compassion: You are not your to-do list. Your value isn’t tied to being always-on. Ask yourself:

🤔 Where am I trying to prove myself by doing too much?

💡 What am I afraid will happen if I stop overworking?

🔥 What one thing can I let go of this week to create more clarity and focus?

It’s rarely about doing more, it is often about being more strategic!

I’d love to hear from you—which of the four behaviours will you experiment with this week?

Hit reply and let me know!

Need a reset? I offer a one-off coaching session designed to help you get clear on where you’re going, stop overworking, and start managing your career with purpose. It’s £175 for 60 minutes – book yours here.

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Have a great week!

Kirsteen