Burnout and overwork are massive problems that many employees deal with. And it’s a prevalent issue that affects not only people’s health and private lives but also their career ambitions. However, it’s incredibly rare to hear about someone who has been pulling 84-hour work weeks for the last 5 years.

This, however, isn’t a fairytale or an over-exaggeration. It’s reality for one exhausted redditor who has spent the last half-decade being the sole breadwinner. At the end of his tether, he asked his wife to go back to work. This turned into an argument that the OP called “a wake-up call.” You’ll find the full story, as well as how the AITA community came out in support of the man, below. Bored Panda has reached out to the author of the post via Reddit, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from him.

Couples need to be on the same page when it comes to finances, expenses, and savings. Otherwise, it can lead to tension and friction

Image credits: Mikhail Nilov (not the actual photo)

A completely exhausted man, who pulls 84-hour weeks, turned to the internet for advice after opening up about the fight he had with his wife, who doesn’t work

Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

Image credits: SHVETS production (not the actual photo)

The husband took some advice to heart and decided to start with a two-week vacation

Image credits: Many_Bunch_6678

The man was working around 2.5 times the weekly average in the US

To give some context, according to Statista, the average American employee worked 34.3 hours per week in July 2023. That means that the author of the viral Reddit post was working nearly 2.5 times more than the average person.

Meanwhile, the average American worked 34.5 hours per week in 2022. Though this average does vary depending on the industry. For instance, someone in the mining and logging industry would pull around 45.5 hours per week in April 2023.

That’s enough to make many employees burn out. According to a recent survey by Deloitte, 77% of workers have experienced burnout at their current jobs. And half have experienced it more than once.

Burnout, according to psychologist Christina Maslach, from the University of California, Berkeley, has three main components. The first is physical and emotional exhaustion, followed by cynicism, and inefficacy. The latter means that employees blame themselves for not being able to handle the stress and perform well.

Exhausted, burned-out employees are bound to feel irritable, and frustrated, and may feel like it’s difficult to enforce any healthy boundaries. They’re also likely to feel discouraged when thinking about the future. Healing from this means embracing quality rest. It can start by taking a long holiday and then having a heart-to-heart conversation with your boss about cutting back on your hours and workload.

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)

Burnout and exhaustion can have deeply negative effects on people’s lives

There are two main issues at play here. The first one is that the author of the post has been run ragged for years, pulling insane shifts just to provide for his family. This sort of exhaustion isn’t something that’s going to automatically solve itself in a couple of weeks. It may take massive lifestyle shifts over many months to move towards any semblance of a healthy work-life balance.

If the OP isn’t getting enough sleep, isn’t eating well, has no time to enjoy life, and hasn’t the energy to take care of his physical or mental well-being, sooner or later, he may end up in the hospital. And there would be nobody left to take care of his family then. Clearly, the Reddit user is incredibly tough and dedicated to his loved ones—two great values to have in life. However, nobody should be forced to sacrifice themselves like this.

The second issue is one of support. Or rather, the lack of it. The OP shared on Reddit how he was essentially stuck. On the one hand, his wife (enabled by her therapist) was unwilling to return to work to help out with the financial situation. It also appeared as though she didn’t support her husband much by helping out with the chores or the cooking.

On the other hand, she seemed reluctant to change their lifestyle and live more modestly, in order to save money. Either one of these choices would mean that the post author would be able to cut back on how much he works. Choosing both would effectively solve the issue and give him back his freedom.

Image credits: Myr Za (not the actual photo)

Finding the right therapist who will help you heal is essential. This can take a while

Nobody’s dismissing how serious an issue depression is. However, a good therapist is someone who helps their patients heal and grow, instead of keeping them in stasis for years. As the OP pointed out, there’s a massive difference between the therapist he saw together with his wife and the one she sees by herself.

As we’ve covered on Bored Panda before, it’s absolutely essential that you find a therapist whom you click with. It might take some time, but finding a professional who understands you, is the right fit for you, and makes you feel like you can trust them, is worth it.

One of the most essential things that therapists do is normalize their patients’ experiences by painting a broader picture. They’ll actively listen to their patients and make them feel heard and that their points of view are valid.

Trustworthy therapists will always be punctual and keep the focus on their patients, instead of themselves or their phones. However, a certain amount of discomfort is to be expected. Therapists aren’t like your friends: they will not tell you things just to make you feel like you’re always in the wrong. Their goal is to provide different perspectives in order to solve the issues at hand.

Image credits: SHVETS production (not the actual photo)

The guy revealed that his sleep has been suffering for the past half-decade

The internet came out in support of the man and shared some practical advice on what to do next

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