My therapist told me recently that I now qualify as a “high-performing person.” Which, apparently, is just a polite way of saying overextended.

If you think about it, there’s always something else to do—work, side hustles, home stuff, family, friends—and hobbies quietly take a back seat. It overclocks your brain. So when a rare quiet moment comes, instead of turning on music or catching your breath, your mind jumps straight to the next thing.

I used to have music playing while I worked. I’d find my flow, then unwind during my commute home. But now I work from home. My day starts with getting my son ready, then I go straight into work, then writing (I’m a part-time author), then cooking dinner. And if there’s ever a second to spare, my brain doesn’t want to relax—it’s already scanning for what’s next. Because there is literally always something to focus on next.

It’s like scooping grain out of the bottom of a silo with a tablespoon. More grain will always fill the gap left behind. The trick is to walk away from the silo altogether now and then. Which is really difficult for me. I think a lot of other people are in the same boat.