The oldest note on my phone is a principle I’ve lived by for years. I stumbled upon this comment on 4 December 2017 and just knew I had to save it. Somehow, it resonated with me more than anything similar I had read before or since. Here it is: “I’m a psychiatrist. I see many people who’ve spent their careers forgoing sleep, family, and life so they could work harder. They have sacrificed health and happiness. They’ve never learned to enjoy what is before them. They have insisted on working harder than others in order to build a better life, but they have given up the very things that make life meaningful. When the whistle blows, go home. By all that’s beautiful and worthwhile, just go home. Death can come for you at any time. And no sane man, in his last hours, looks back and regrets not spending more time at the office.” I never considered myself very ambitious or hard-working, and I never felt the urge to stay late or do something extra outside working hours. For the most part, I was fine with that, but occasionally, I’d look around and wonder if I was doing something wrong. And, honestly, I still do sometimes. I’ve worked in different environments, and in some, staying late was so normalised that leaving on time made me feel like I wasn’t as committed as everyone else. It made me question whether I was lazy or just not good enough. Over time I realised that being dedicated and ambitious doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your personal life. You can do your best within working hours and if you want to go extra mile, it should be because you genuinely want to, not because it’s expected. So, go home 🫶🏻