How to survive work without becoming exhausted

Someone asked me a long time ago:

I also recall you sharing that you work when necessary and dont (sic) kill yourself per se. Would love to know your philosophy on surviving work!

In short…

They don’t pay you two paycheques.

I read it on a post, and it totally resonated with me – that is my motto in life.

You work, you get your money, you get out. No one works for free. We all work for money, what is so hard for employers to understand about that?

This weird kind of toxic rah-rah culture that has been created in America where thinking of your career as the definition of who you are (ALL THE LOLS), or that your boss or colleagues are your ‘family’ sort of makes me ill. This is just another way employers are gaslighting people into giving up their lives for something that doesn’t benefit them at the end of the day.

So work less.

Work at the same pace as everyone else. Stop being such a high overachiever.

I think people are calling it Slow Work?

Or it is some sort of trend to do less these days rather than work to the bone? Whatever it is called, follow that.

Set boundaries, leave at a reasonable time (I mean, show up when there is an emergency, pull your weight and don’t slack so that others have to pick up your workload), but don’t think the company will not replace you the next day if anything happens.

EVERYONE is replaceable

I keep that in mind, and log off when I am done. It is now a problem for tomorrow, or next week, even next year.

The more you work, the more they give you to do. You don’t get prizes for being #1 in finishing work, and if you are not being rewarded with more money or compensation … and only seem to get MORE work as a result, then your answer is clear.

With your free time, stop feeling guilty. Read a book – I have a ton of book recommendations based on What I have read – or maybe you can cook a meal, watch TV, catch up on some cleaning and organizing.

Whatever it is, stop thinking about work, it isn’t healthy.

If you have to call it ‘surviving work’ I think that says it all.

(Of course, I am being super privileged in saying this, as I assume it is some sort of office job rather than a warehouse packer, retail attendant, fast food worker or restaurant server or something equally difficult, menial, backbreaking and laborious).