Looking at your schedule and to-do list for the upcoming week can be a daunting experience. Even before you get started, it causes stress and makes you wonder: “Just why on Earth am I so busy?” If you have ever found yourself overworked, losing motivation to continue with your duties, or constantly stressed in anticipation of a deadline, then this article is for you … or rather, for us.

In a society where status, occupation, and income are the determinants of one's standing, it is not hard to find oneself chasing goals that are far from their authentic desires. It may seem like society is projecting its values on your unique character and circumstances. But while the world in general does appear to be unfair, blaming society for shaping your destiny isn't exactly a mentality that will help. 

One's current activities may not reflect their personality or allow them to grow in a way that fits their character, but these activities were most probably selected out of the best available options if there were any in the first place. They were selected or stumbled upon because they satisfy some need and hopefully help direct the life of the “actor” towards a place where they want to be. In this sense, choosing a certain occupation to satisfy a goal doesn’t always mean that a passion is being forced upon you by society. From an optimistic perspective, it is only a limitation on your career options.. In fact, even society as a unit decides nothing — it is more of an effect of collective causation, a priority list, one might say, formed from the major circumstances of the whole world. For example, if society dictates that software engineering is a prospective job opportunity and people find themselves enrolling and then hating their university major, it is not unfair, it is almost expected. Such a rapid shift or a preference in the job market rids many people of their jobs, denies many from pursuing their childhood dreams which are suddenly “inessential” to the world, but it occurs almost naturally. The world develops, new demands form, old ones slowly fade away and those wishing to stay “on top of the food chain” are typically forced to make changes that are just as rapid. This is called adaptation.

“But what does adaptation have to do with me experiencing anxiety at work?” one may ask. Adaptation is not only about being able to make changes quickly; from a different perspective, it is also the ability to give up on stubbornness or a goal that is unreasonably hard to achieve at the present moment. Adaptation is about one's ability to stop mid-chase, re-evaluate their goals and strategies, and then either give up or continue. And the former option should not be perceived as shameful or as a sign of weakness, it is instead a sign of reason and wisdom — a sign of change and progress. In this sense, when a person experiences a burnout or crippling stress under an overwhelming workload, it is important to slow down for a moment and re-evaluate. Am I being taken advantage of? Am I learning nothing new that is helpful? Is it not what I hoped it would be? If I were to rewind time, would I choose this job all the same? These thoughts may seem pointless if you don’t have an alternative option, but that's a contradiction in itself. If it is your only option, it must be essential for whatever you desire to achieve — it may feed you and provide you with a lifestyle or it may be an essential step to your future career. Giving up on your childhood dream to pursue a career that will more realistically guarantee you a life with fewer struggles should not be perceived as a shameful "quitter" act. There is a difference between quitting because you have nothing else to give, and quitting because there is nothing left for you to gain.

Such privilege, however, the privilege of having options and the strength to give up halfway through and take a different route is not given to everyone equally — it favors the young. Contrary to this bias, however, there exists a stigma or almost a status quo that quitting is a sin and a sign of weakness, that success comes from persevering and suffering, and sometimes the younger generation is just either indecisive or cowardly. Although there is partial truth to each of these statements, in a world where the only certainty is that uncertainty is guaranteed, diving head first into anything, whether it's a blind chase of a relationship or an opportunity, is counterproductive. And since adapting is a transient skill that will determine the transferability of your success in any area that will be chosen as popular by society again, why not enjoy what you do every day? Why not accept the fact that one day you may fail and crumble and will have to find a new way to live like you did the first time? Intuitively, this seems depressing, but psychologically, this lowers the stakes of whatever you are pressured with and relieves you from expectations of a brighter future, only leaving behind hope and gratitude for the things you achieve today.