Today is my 40th “business day” straight of taking no days off. I told the guy at my coffee shop that I was having a rough mental health day. He told me to go home and take a nap, and I had to leave the shop in tears because he was right.
I know this is not a lot by many people's standards. I know I get weekends off, and I'm incredibly lucky for that, as a lot of people don't. But we haven't had a federal holiday, and I haven't been sick, so I haven't had a day off.
Before this 9 hour, 5 days-a-week desk job (that I love, pays me well, and doesn't overwork me), I waited tables in high end sushi restaurants. I'd have 3 days off a week and only work 6 hours a night. Sometimes I might take up freelance writing jobs from home to cover other costs, and I never felt burnt out like I do now. But these desk jobs, I just don't know how y'all do it!
I usually take off at least 1 day every month, for mental health, period cramps, headaches, family emergencies, etc. There's usually something going on. I would get somewhat negative reviews at previous jobs for “being sick all of the time”. In reality, it was 1 day every 4 weeks.
Well I decided to try and do better at this job that I actually enjoy doing. But I just can't keep it up. I don't think I'm weak, I don't even think I SHOULD be in an office 9 hours every day until I die, basically. But the US work culture will categorize me as “unreliable” if I don't. I got off work yesterday, went to sleep at 7pm and woke up at 6am exhausted and terrified to go to work. The inflexibility is making me hate a job I would otherwise like.
We should have 3-day-weekends and 1 federal holiday every. single. month. At least. (Not to mention just straight up UBI, maternity/paternity leave, guaranteed sick pay for every illness no matter the timespan, etc.). I love what I do, but I HATE “Work”.