Enough is Enough: When "Just Right" Beats Overkill in the Workplace

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For years, I thought success meant giving more—more hours, more effort, more sacrifice. Fourteen-hour shifts, chasing impossible deadlines, trying to be the go-to person for everything. I believed this “extra mile” approach would get me recognized and rewarded. Instead, I found myself in a cycle of stress and sleep deprivation. Looking back, I see that I was trapped in overkill, doing far more than necessary and paying the price for it.

Jason’s philosophy of killing overkill really nails it: true productivity isn’t about piling on tasks or maxing out your schedule. It’s about knowing when to stop, when “just right” is enough. That two-hour meeting that could’ve been an email, the seven-step process that could’ve been three—these aren’t badges of honor; they’re just extra weight. By cutting out the unnecessary, I realized I could focus more on what truly matters and deliver better results without burning out. Overkill wasn’t getting me ahead; it was just getting me exhausted.

Thanks to this approach, I’m learning to work smarter, not harder. I now appreciate that balance doesn’t mean doing less—it means doing what actually counts. Jason’s insight is a reminder that success comes not from adding more but from knowing what’s truly needed. In the end, sometimes “just right” is exactly right