Sustaining performance.
WHAT SUSTAINED PRESSURE PRODUCES
Reduced judgement Slower work Errors Eventually, inability to continue
WHY THAT MATTERS PRACTICALLY
Working longer under pressure produces less, not more.
WHAT TO PROTECT
Sleep, which affects everything else Breaks during the day Time entirely away from work
WHY SLEEP FIRST
Its loss degrades judgement and memory more than people recognise, and the person affected is a poor judge of it.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT AN UNSUSTAINABLE WORKLOAD
Raise it, specifically, with what would have to change.
WHY SPECIFICALLY
"I am overloaded" invites sympathy. "These three things cannot all be done by Friday; which matters most" invites a decision.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Boundaries around availability, and hold them.
WHAT TO NOTICE
Persistent sleep difficulty, loss of interest, or inability to concentrate.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THOSE
Speak to someone: a manager, a colleague you trust, or a professional.
WHY
They rarely resolve without change, and they are common.
WHAT TO AVOID
Treating exhaustion as commitment.
