The "unplug" button: When does a high-achiever hit pause?

The hum of my laptop has become a familiar soundtrack to my days. Approaching 36, I've built a career I'm deeply invested in. The dedication has paid off; deadlines are met, presentations are (mostly!) polished, and the feeling of accomplishment is a real motivator. But lately, beneath that drive, I've noticed a different kind of hum – a quieter thrum that feels less like ambition and more like… well, depletion.

It makes me think about that theoretical "unplug" button we all possess. In the constant push to achieve our goals, when do we actually recognize the need to press it? When is it time for a time out?

For me, the signs have been creeping in, and I know I'm not alone in these feelings... They tend to be subtle at first, but become increasingly noticeable:

• Stress levels creeping up: That underlying hum I mentioned? It often brings with it a persistent sense of being on edge. The mental juggling act of work and life starts to feel more taxing, and even smaller tasks can feel surprisingly weighty (let's not talk about how long I have been avoiding my life admin). I find my shoulders are often tight, and the thought of another packed day can feel physically draining.

• The first thing to go: exercise: It's almost a cliché, isn't it? We all know the benefits of exercise, especially when stress levels are high. Yet, when time gets tight, this is often the first thing to disappear from the routine – the very stress reliever that could make a difference. For me, despite my lifelong dedication to exercise, when times get tough, this disappears as quickly as I can say squat.

• The elusive promise of sleep: Oh, sleep. Once a dependable part of my day, it's become more of a negotiation. My mind often races with to-do lists and what-ifs, making it hard to switch off. Even when exhaustion finally wins, I sometimes wake up in the early hours, where the same process to fall asleep begins, leaving me feeling just as drained.

• Subtle shifts in appetite: This is a strange one, but my appetite has become unreliable. I find myself eating when I can, or when I remember, rather than when I'm truly hungry. This often results in a small but noticeable weight loss, which feels absurd given how much of my day is spent sitting at my desk.

• When coffee loses its magic: Remember when a strong cup of coffee could power you through anything? Those days feel increasingly distant. Coffee sometimes provides more jitters than energy, and even after a reasonable night's sleep (by current standards), I sometimes feel a deep, bone-tired exhaustion that no amount of caffeine seems to fully address.

• The Friday night reality check: This has become a real indicator. Friday evenings used to be a genuine moment of release, a chance to transition out of work mode, enjoy time with my fiancé or friends, and maybe even sneak in an early happy hour. Despite still clinging onto this need, recently, it has felt more like a collapse over the finish line, so tired I can barely get through a martini at my local (if you know me, you'll know this is unusual!), with the weekend dedicated to simply recovering enough to face the next week.

Well, this week, after a particularly intense period at work, I've decided enough is enough - I'm finally pressing that unplug button. It's not about a grand vacation or a specific agenda; this week is dedicated to simply unwinding, relaxing, doing things I want to do, catching up on the life admin that's been piling up, and, most importantly, prioritizing rest and sleep. My goal is to step back and gain some perspective on how to create a more sustainable work-life balance.

By the end of this week, my hope is to feel rested, reinvigorated, and armed with some practical strategies to help prevent this feeling of burnout from creeping in again. I'm aiming to recognize those early whispers of imbalance to allow time for me to actually spend time living and feeling, not just working, and address the barriers proactively.

Wish me luck as I embark on this much-needed pause - I'm curious to see what a little dedicated downtime can do.

Ready to recharge