Isn’t working as hard as possible the best thing for my career?

Perhaps surprisingly, working excessive hours is rarely a good way of getting ahead. Instead, it’s usually the result either of poor time management, which means you’re not working efficiently, or of having an employer who wants to get more out of you for no more money, and therefore probably has little interest in your career development.

Developing your career means acquiring new skills, making new contacts and having the time to stand back from the day-to-day and plan the steps you need to take. Overwork is usually tied to the demands of a specific job, and leaves you with little time or energy for that kind of forward-thinking.

Whether you want to move on with your current employer or move to another organisation or another field completely, it’s hard to get started when you’re always exhausted and all you can think about is what you have to do at work tomorrow.