Work Steals More Than Your Time

We talk a lot about work in terms of time.

How many hours you put in. How much overtime you rack up. Whether you’re setting boundaries or constantly in your inbox at 9 p.m.

But time?

Time is just the first thing work takes.

A 2023 global study found that 60% of people say their job is the biggest factor affecting their mental health, more than finances, more than family stress, more than even their physical health.

Work doesn’t just steal hours...it chips away at energy, confidence, and identity. If you’re not careful, it’ll take your joy, too.

I learned this the hard way, long before I became my own boss.

I was working as a real estate paralegal at a title company, and it felt like everything that could go wrong during a closing did. But instead of support or problem-solving, I had a boss who was quick to assign blame. Always in my direction.

The stakes were always high. Emotions ran hot. And I was caught in the middle...responsible, overextended, and somehow always at fault.

I’d cry on the back porch of the office.

I’d cry in my car on the way to work.

And again on the way home.

Even when I was technically off the clock, the weight of the job came home with me. My thoughts, my body, my weekends...none of it was mine.

My identity and self-worth had become completely wrapped up in that job.

And work was slowly hollowing me out.

Fast forward to now: 18 years into running my own business. I’ve had moments where burnout crept close again. But this time, I caught it. And I made changes, sometimes big, sometimes tiny, but always intentional.

Because I’ve learned something:

You don’t have to hit rock bottom before you decide to start protecting your peace.

That study I mentioned? It’s not just about bad bosses or toxic jobs.

It’s about how we’ve let work define our value.

How it shapes our self-talk.

How it takes up space in our heads long after we’ve shut the laptop.

So what’s the shift?

Honestly? It’s simple but not easy:

Unplug. Really unplug.

Don’t check your email on Saturday.

Don’t carry the client drama into your Sunday dinner.

Don’t let your job or your business take up more emotional real estate than it deserves.

And most of all:

Remind yourself that your life is bigger than your work.

Your value isn’t tied to productivity. Your worth isn’t up for performance review. And joy doesn’t need to be earned—it needs to be remembered.

Many cultures around the world understand this.

We can learn to remember it, too.

Because your life is more important than your to-do list,

If this resonated and you’re ready to start untangling your identity from your output, I have something just for you:

👉 Work That Loves You Back is a guided reflection to help you reconnect with your values, your energy, and the version of work that truly fits you.

Because work might steal more than your time but you have the power to take it back.

🔍 Need More Real Talk About Work?

If this newsletter got your wheels turning, there’s plenty more where that came from.

I’m always digging into the messy, meaningful middle of work over on the blog where we talk toxic jobs, business breakthroughs, and how to build something that doesn’t burn you out.

Here are two recent reads you might love:

Wait… This Counts as Work? Making Peace With Doing What Comes Easy - A deep dive into the things you do effortlessly (and undervalue constantly).

💣 Are You in a Toxic Relationship… with Work?

This one’s a wake-up call disguised as a blog post. It’s okay if you need to read it twice.

🔁 Pass It On

If this resonated, forward it to someone who’s quietly unraveling under the weight of “just work.”

You know the one—the friend who’s always tired, always on, always thinking about what needs to get done next.

Let’s normalize rest. Let’s question the systems.

Let’s remind each other: you are not your job, and your worth doesn’t clock out at 5.

Send this their way. It might be the tiny rebellion they didn’t know they needed.

💬 Why You’re Getting This Work Wake-Up Call

At some point, you downloaded a guide, showed up to a workshop, or raised your hand for tips that don’t come wrapped in hustle-speak.

You wanted a different way to work, and I’m still cheering you on.

These emails are for folks who know their jobs (or businesses) have taken too much for too long, and they’re ready to take some of it back.

And hey, if now’s not the time or you’re clearing space in your inbox—no hard feelings. You can unsubscribe or update your preferences anytime. Life’s too short for guilt-clicking.