Are You Working Your Life Away?
Your Weekly INFJ Insight and Journal Prompt 👀
Did you know that 79% of INFJs say that they spend most of their energy at work on a typical day?
You may see yourself in this statistic, recognizing how often your work to-do list takes priority over your personal life. Like many INFJs, you might find yourself pouring endless energy into work tasks, making sure every detail is perfect and every deadline is met ahead of schedule.
It’s impressive how you give your all to your work responsibilities. But when was the last time you brought that same level of dedication to your personal interests?
This week, we’re exploring the delicate balance between professional dedication and personal fulfillment, and why finding this equilibrium matters, especially for INFJs like you.
Driven and Dedicated
Before we explore the challenges of spending so much energy at work, let’s acknowledge something remarkable about you: You’re likely someone who consistently delivers on your promises at work.
When you accept a task or responsibility, you pour your full attention into it until it’s complete. This deep sense of commitment shows up in everything from meeting crucial deadlines to remembering small details others might overlook. It’s no wonder that work takes up so much of your energy!
This reliability has likely earned you a reputation as someone others can count on, and that is a beautiful thing. But it’s important to make sure this admirable trait isn’t coming at the cost of your own well-being.
The very qualities that make you exceptional at work – your consistency, attention to detail, and follow-through – can be applied to your personal life too so that you can experience more joy and fulfillment on a regular basis.
Breaking Free From the Grind
Have you noticed how you might push aside your own needs to meet work obligations? Maybe you’ve canceled plans with a close friend because your work needed extra attention, or postponed that creative project you’ve been dreaming about because work deadlines felt more pressing.
It’s a pattern many INFJs fall into – letting work responsibilities expand until they fill every available space.
While your work ethic is admirable, constantly prioritizing professional obligations over personal needs can slowly drain you over time. Week after week, your personal interests might get pushed aside, your creative projects might remain untouched, and the activities that once brought you joy can become distant memories.
Left unchecked, these habits might leave you feeling empty even when your to-do list is complete.
The good news? You already have everything you need to change this pattern. The same attention and dedication you give to work can help you guard your personal time too.
A Question Worth Asking
Let’s pause and reflect on how you can redirect some of that wonderful dedication back to yourself. Take a quiet moment with your journal and consider this question:
Today, your journal prompt is:
What would your life look like if you protected your personal time with the same dedication you give to work commitments?
As you consider this question, you might notice an immediate urge to explain why this isn’t possible. But instead of getting caught in practical concerns, allow yourself to imagine a more balanced week without immediately figuring out how to make it happen.
The goal here isn’t to overhaul your schedule overnight. Instead, consider this an invitation to start viewing your personal needs as equally important as your professional ones. Just as you honor your work commitments, you can learn to honor commitments to yourself.
All you have to do is remind yourself that your worth isn’t measured by your productivity at work, and that sometimes it’s okay to leave a few things on your to-do list if it means you’re going to be able to invest in something that makes you feel good.
A Different Path Forward
Think of your energy like a garden – right now, most of it might be flowing toward one robust plant called “work.” But imagine redirecting just a small stream toward those other seeds you’ve been wanting to nurture. They don’t need all your energy, just consistent care.
What small seed in your personal life deserves some of your care this week? Drop a comment below – sometimes naming your intentions out loud is the first step to making them real.
P.S. Want more guidance on protecting your personal time without compromising your professional excellence? Stay tuned for this week’s Action Plan!
I'd like to have enough energy to shower immediately after getting home insead of sitting in a chair for 20+ minutes trying to recharge. I'd like to take back my free time. Be able to manage my home similar to how I manage work. I want to have the energy to exercise the muscles of my choice. The energy to clean and cook without wanting to cry. I keep telling myself it's because I'm not determined enough. Honestly, I'm exhausted and thinking that way only makes me depressed. I work so hard because if I don't the next day will be worse. I'm not sure what's more exhausting, seeing the next shift disappointed/anxious or physically moving a mountain. When I slip up and miss something on my todo list, I end up remembering it while I'm trying to fall asleep. 🤦
I think it's about time I figure out how to manage this. I need to treat myself with the same consideration I give to thoes around me.
I realise we INFJs are so hard on ourselves - we set very high expectations and judge ourselves if we fall short of them. And yet if others around us fall short, we are so quick to empathise with them and are willing to cut them some slack. We are such contradictory creatures!