How to Achieve Career Success Without Compromising Your Mental Health

Today, too many people sacrifice their wellbeing to achieve their career goals. As a result, they experience burnout, anxiety, and other mental health issues. In fact, 77 percent of Americans report experiencing work-related stress that negatively impacts their mental health. So, it’s no surprise that organizations (and individuals) are re-evaluating what true career success looks like.

Below, we discuss how mental health is connected to career success and what you can do to reach your career goals without compromising your wellbeing.

How Do You Define Career Success?

Before we dive in, it’s important to understand that career success means different things to different people—as it should. Not everyone is alike, and not everyone shares the same goals. So, considering what career success means to you and what it might look like for you personally is a great place to start when thinking about your goals. And knowing how you define success will not only help you set your career goals but also ultimately increase your professional satisfaction.

How Mental Health Can Negatively Impact to Career Success

Now that you know what it is you want to achieve (and perhaps even how to get there), it’s important to understand how your mental health and wellbeing come into play. Your mental health can have a significant impact on your career success. Neglecting your wellbeing and sacrificing everything in order to chase your dreams and reach the next step on the ladder can cause several mental health struggles, including the following:

Stress and Burnout

Today’s working environments are often fast-paced and highly demanding. People are working more hours than ever before and dealing with impossibly high workloads and managerial expectations. This can result in chronic stress, which results in burnout.  An employee suffering from burnout is less productive and creative and struggles with physical and emotional exhaustion that affects multiple aspects of their life.

Lower Resilience

Mental health and wellbeing form a strong foundation for resilience. This means that when you’re faced with challenges, adversity, and stressful situations at work, you’re better equipped to cope in a healthy, level-headed way. When you neglect to look after your mental health and don’t nurture your wellbeing, your resilience lessens. This makes it difficult to respond well to challenges and to recover quickly from professional setbacks.

Reduced Productivity

Have you ever had so much to do that you don’t know where to start? That’s the reality for many employees who feel overloaded and overwhelmed at work. Prolonged periods of overwhelm result in burnout, anxiety, and depression, which are all mental health conditions that reduce your productivity both at work and at home. When you neglect your mental health and fail to take care of yourself properly, your energy and productivity levels will plummet (and fast!). This can result in decreased professional output, missed deadlines, skipped meetings, and poor career performance.

Damaged Professional and Personal Relationships

When you fail to protect your mental health and maintain a healthy work/life balance, this can put strain on your relationships. Arguments are more likely, emotional isolation becomes a daily habit, and even small disagreements are hard to deal with. This can have a negative impact on your professional life, as strong relationships and a sense of team and togetherness are integral to career progression and success.

Caring for Your Mental Health at Work

On the other hand, when you prioritize your mental health and wellbeing, you’ll be far better equipped to succeed in your chosen career path, as well as in your personal life. Several positive outcomes can result from taking care of your mental health, including the following:

Increased Productivity

When your mental wellbeing is at a high, you’ll enjoy a high level of productivity. Learning how to manage your stress levels, practice mindfulness, and maintain a healthy work/life balance can help you remain focused, creative, and productive at work. This makes you an invaluable asset and helps you to progress well in your chosen career.

Fewer Mental Health Struggles and More Motivation

When you take care of your mental health, you’re keeping yourself mentally strong and emotionally healthy. This helps prevent mental health struggles and supports you in making clear decisions that have a positive impact on your career goals. Taking the time to look after yourself and prioritize your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing also helps you stay motivated. This motivation will benefit you hugely, whether you want to stay motivated in your job search or motivated to chase a new opportunity within your company.

Better Relationships

When you look after your mental health, your relationships flourish. Good mental health means you’re more resilient. This means you have the coping skills you need to communicate effectively, show empathy and understanding towards others, and resolve conflicts in a healthy manner. This will only benefit your relationships moving forward.

Enhanced Emotional Intelligence

According to The National Institutes of Health, “The relationship between EI and mental health is due to the perception that a more emotionally intelligent individual is more aware of their emotions and better able to regulate them. Therefore, they present higher levels of well-being, a stronger and richer social network, and more effective coping strategies, which reduce levels of internalized and public stigma.” Of course, high levels of EI are highly desired by employers, especially in leadership roles. So, the more you’re able to take care of your wellbeing, the more opportunities you’ll have to boost your career.

Gemma Williams works remotely from as many coffee shops as she can find. Gemma has gained experience in a number of HR roles and is now focused on growing her personal brand and connecting with leading experts in the industry. Connect with her on X: @GemmaWilliamsHR.