“I know you are a family man, but part of being a family man means providing for your family.”
This was the sign I needed to decide it was time to leave.
While on a Zoom call with a manager, talking about my performance, he dropped that line on me to try and convince me to work more hours.
The problem?
I had been working more hours for the previous six months. I would get up early and work. I would stay up late and work. Heck, I’d put hours in on the weekends.
That statement was all I needed to know that this work environment was why I was struggling. It wasn’t because I sucked at my job.
Sure, I was constantly behind. But when the workload is unbearable, and you are told there is no help coming and the only way to get out of the hole is to work more, I knew there would never be a way out unless I left.
So, that’s just what I did.
This was one of the most eye-opening moments for me. Knowing me, this manager thought he could manipulate me into doing more work by playing on my values.
Unfortunately for him, my values have preset boundaries that would no longer bend. I had already sacrificed some family time and personal energy to the “altar of work.”
I was finished with it.
So, I told him that I would not be working more hours. I would continue to do everything I could to get my job done, but I had enough of being told to work more.
Shortly after that conversation, I decided it was time to take a demotion to get my life and my health back together.
And you know what? It was worth it.
PSA: Your employer doesn’t own you.
They can try to heap work on you and tell you it’s your fault that you are behind. And in some cases, maybe that is true. But most of the time, they try to get every last ounce of work out of you, no matter the cost.
Don’t sacrifice your health, family, or life on the altar of work. Plenty of people have done that, and it only leads to brokenness.
J.R. Heimbigner is a #1 Bestselling Christian Author on Amazon who writes about faith, family, and writing books. Join his Breakthrough Prayer community and find his books today!
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