Mental Health for High-Performing Professionals
You didn’t climb to where you are by accident. But here’s what nobody tells you: the same drive that fuels your success can quietly sabotage your well being.
When does your success becomes a burden? When you set impossibly high standards. You take on more than humanly reasonable. When rest feels like weakness. Sound familiar? Research shows A-grade performers are four times more likely to develop mental health issues, and CEOs face double the depression risk of the general population.
The cruel irony? Impostor syndrome whispers that you’re one mistake away from being “found out” – despite all the evidence proving otherwise.So you feel the need to work harder and harder.
There are no doubt warning signs that you’re ignoring. Exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. Irritability at home that you’d never show at work. Decision paralysis. That hollow feeling when you should be celebrating wins. Or needing three coffees before noon, then alcohol to “switch off” at night.
Because you’ve built your identity on resilience, you push through until you can’t anymore.
So what actually works ? Rest isn’t indulgence – it’s strategy. Treat recovery time as if it’s as non-negotiable as your morning meetings. Delegate without guilt; it frees you to focus on what truly matters. Even five minutes of deep breathing lowers stress hormones more effectively than scrolling your phone.
Switch off email notifications after 7pm. Build support networks. Talk to someone who understands high-performance pressure.
At Armchair Psychology we work with busy professionals who need practical strategies that fit into demanding lives. Our corporate services help create mentally healthy workplaces where success doesn’t come at the cost of well being.
For evidence-based resources, please visit the Black Dog Institute or Australian Psychological Society
Leave a message and get a personal call back from Amanda to help decide the best path for you.
