The Commitment Trap
David Freund
Are you someone who misuses commitment? Do you pride yourself on getting things done, regardless of the cost?
Many of us measure commitment by how hard we work or how many hours we put into our jobs and careers. For years, I bought into this fallacy. The problem is that when we use this as our primary measure of commitment, we set ourselves up for potentially devastating consequences.
It was the summer of 2006, just one day before my family and I were scheduled to drive to Virginia for a weeklong church conference. The chores were done, the car was packed, and my sons and I decided to make a quick stop at the Syracuse Nationals car show. We love classic cars, and since we had some extra time, why not?
My first sign of trouble was a pain in my arms as I walked around the fairgrounds. Later, as I climbed the steps to the old grandstands, I couldn’t catch my breath. On the walk back to the car, the pain began shooting up my neck. When we arrived home, my boys told my wife what had happened, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting in the emergency room at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
I was only 44 years old. I wasn’t overweight, I’d never smoked, and I only occasionally enjoyed a glass of wine. What was happening to me?
To make a long story short, I wasn’t having a heart attack. However, the stress was taking a significant toll on my body. This episode was a warning shot across my bow.
Why was I under so much stress?
The company I was running demanded my time — and lots of it. If I wasn’t at work, I was thinking about work. If I scheduled time off for a vacation, I was checking emails or driving to the plant to address a problem. I believed the key to success was simple: work harder and work more.
Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing, calls this the “Hustle Fallacy.” Research shows that once we exceed 50 hours of work per week, our productivity actually begins to decline. One study found that working 50 hours produced only about 37 hours of productive output. At 55 hours, productivity dropped to just 30 effective hours.
Think about that for a moment. More time invested was producing less value. What a tremendous waste of both time and energy.
How about you? Summer is just beginning. Will you be willing to take time to care for yourself and the people you love? Will you create margin in your life to rest, recharge, and be fully present with those who matter most?
The truth is that productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most, with energy, focus, and purpose.
Sometimes the best way to accomplish more is to do less.