Work engagement and vigor are inextricably linked. Wilmar Schaufeli and Arnold Bakker describe work engagement as "a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption". Schaufeli Vigor, in other words energy, is therefore an important condition for an engaged life. But can you also be too engaged, so that it actually comes at the expense of your vitality?
Can you be too engaged?
Klaas Koster, the first 'vitalogist' in the Netherlands, asked himself that question. He works every day on the vitality of the Dutch working population and noticed that he enjoys that work so much that he easily spends 60 to 70 hours a week on it, without it feeling like work. He feels in every fibre that this is what he is on earth for, and that it makes the world a little more beautiful and vital. You could say he is rather engaged.
Sometimes so engaged that time no longer matters and he forgets to have lunch. Not very 'vitalogical', you can hear him thinking… And that's right. The beauty of work engagement is that you are completely absorbed in your work, so that time seems to stand still. The risk is that you forget to recharge.
"If you do what you love, you never have to work hard"
Working hard and with engagement is not unhealthy in itself. It goes wrong when you relax and recharge too little. Research by German professor Sabine Sonnentag shows how important it is to detach mentally from your work after work. People who manage that suffer less from exhaustion and fatigue. The tricky part is that this becomes harder precisely when the workload is high, while that is when you need recovery most. Sonnentag calls this the recovery paradox. Sonnentag
The figures show how important it is. According to the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey 2025, 21% of employees have burnout symptoms. Arboportaal Engaged people can burn out too. They are not weak; on the contrary, they have often been strong for too long.
How do you know if you are going too far?
Watch for these signals:
- you regularly skip your break or lunch;
- you can't let go of your work in the evenings and at weekends;
- you sleep worse or wake up tired;
- you have less and less time for friends, family, sport and hobbies;
- your work gives you less pleasure than before, but you keep going anyway.
Do you recognise several of these points? Take it seriously. Also read the difference between a workaholic and an engaged employee and burnout vs work engagement.
What is the Vitality Wheel of Five?
How do you make sure your engagement doesn't come at the expense of your vitality? Koster developed the Vitaliteitsschijf van Vijf (Vitality Wheel of Five) for this. It shows at a glance how you can live more vitally and which dials you can turn, so that your engagement doesn't burn you out.
The wheel takes a broad view of vitality. According to Koster, feeling vital is about a good balance between body, mind, environment and meaning. It helps you take back control of and responsibility for your life. That takes courage, and a healthy dose of self-love: I am worth it. It also takes trust that the choices you make are good for you, whatever others think of them. You can read more about this in his book Vitalogie (in Dutch). Boom uitgevers
What are the five rules for more energy?
The Vitality Wheel of Five contains five guiding rules for more vitality, and therefore more life force and energy:
- Be aware of yourself, keep sharpening the saw and keep developing.
- Move enough, eat healthily and get enough rest.
- Whatever you give attention grows, so focus on the positive.
- Look for a working environment that suits your mental and physical make-up.
- Know your purpose in life and go for work in which you matter.
Being engaged is good, but don't forget to recharge. That way you will stay engaged in the long run too!
About this article: this piece is based on a blog by Klaas Koster, the first vitalogist in the Netherlands and author of the book Vitalogie.
