There is a dark side to ambition — the toll it takes on our mental health. Here are 3 simple steps high-achievers can take to reclaim our peace.

Like a lot of over-achievers, I hold myself to very high standards. However, those taxing standards can come at valuable cost to my mental health.

There’s been no better example of this than launching my online business over the past 8 weeks. When everything feels like a priority, it’s hard to maintain a clear level of focus and harmony.

Earlier in my career, these stressful moments could have spun me in a downward spiral. Fortunately, I now have a strong personal operating system in place I can rely on to get me out of tough situations.

Here are the 3 simple things I do to get back on track when things get chaotic:

Step 1: Stick to my adapted routine

We all know a smooth morning routine sets the stage for a strong day. But what happens when you can’t stick to your normal, ideal routine?

Find time for the “non-negotiables.” For me, that is meditating for 5 minutes, reading one page of The Daily Stoic, exercising for 30 minutes, and writing. If I can sneak these 4 things into each day, I keep things from unraveling.

What are those key must-do’s for you?

Step 2: Focus on what I can control

When we’re stressed, overworked, and under slept, it’s easy to get upset at the very slightest obstacle.

When I know I’m going to enter a hectic period of work, I set regular prompts (3–4 per day) for me to take a deep breath and remind myself one critical question: “Is this in my control?” If it’s not, I detach from the emotion and get back to taking one small step in the right direction on a task or project.

How do you maintain proper perspective?

Step 3: Be transparent with important people around me

When I was younger, I used to try to do everything on own and keep my feelings bottled up. The problem with this is it erupts into a bigger issue when I least expect or want it.

I’ve learned to trust others that I can delegate the work and need to be hyper honest with what’s going on internally with the important people around me so I can lean on them for support.

Who are those pillars of support you can rely on?

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