Is your work fueling you—or draining you dry?
I had an intriguing conversation with a group of leaders this week.
We ended up dissecting a deceptively simple question:
What percentage of your work do you actually enjoy—and what do you do when that number dips below your personal threshold?
One strategy I applauded was adding more of the good stuff—the work that lights you up.
The pushback I gave?
Adding without subtracting is a fast track to burnout.
Research—and my own lived experience—show that we do our best work when we’re in our strengths zone, doing work we enjoy and feel competent at.
Is that your experience too?
I’ve been wrestling with this personally.
Several of my summer weeks were dominated by work I don’t love—the kind that drains rather than fuels me. The effects on my mood and motivation? Noticeable.
So I’m making changes.
My ideal mix: 80% work I love, 20% necessary-but-not-loved work (and ideally, that 20% gets handed to someone who thrives on it).
I don’t believe we should walk through life with our battery constantly flashing red. And since work consumes a huge share of our waking hours, how we spend those hours matters—a lot.
So, let me ask you:
What’s your target ratio of work you love vs. work that drains you?
And…what’s your reality today?
If your battery is in constant drain mode, it may be time for a reset. Let’s talk about what that could look like.
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