Long story short: I’ve been working throughout the weekend because of an urgent deliverable for a government project. My eyes feel weird and I’m seeing shapes that aren’t there. I worked last weekend as well and had to travel far for that. So couldn’t rest that week either.
I’m just so drained and exhausted. Not having sleep for days is excruciating. I asked my superior for a leave and he essentially told me that if I kept falling sick (I have to phrase it as being sick because taking time off to rest will absolutely never be approved as a leave), I’d not survive in the industry for very long. Turns out, by being in the industry, I might not survive at all.
There’s no legal recourse to this, because the labor laws are practically non-existent. No overtime pay. No health benefits. Just work all day every day. My normal work hours stretch into the night. And I also don’t have Saturdays off.
How do people do it?? I don’t think I’m cut out for this at all. I feel like I might die.