There’s No Reason Why Work Should Harm Us

Let’s be real for a second: there is absolutely no reason why work should be harming you. None. Not one. Yet here you are, dragging yourself into another day, feeling that familiar pinch of tension behind your eyes or that tightness in your chest the moment you open your inbox. And you wonder, Is it just me? Am I being dramatic?

It’s not you. And no, you’re not being dramatic.

Somewhere along the way, society sold us the ridiculous idea that burnout, anxiety, fear, and emotional exhaustion are just part of “adulting.” Like it’s some badge of honor to suffer your way through making a living. As if you’re supposed to sacrifice your wellbeing simply because you clock in.

But let me tell you something you need to hear clearly:

Work should never feel like a threat.

Not to your mind, not to your spirit, and definitely not to your health.

Imagine walking into a job where you don’t have to mentally rehearse conversations before speaking up. A place where your ideas aren’t dismissed, your boundaries aren’t questioned, and your humanity isn’t optional. Imagine starting your day without that little spike of cortisol the minute your phone buzzes with a work notification. Feels unreal, right? But it shouldn’t.

You know how you talk to your friends about relationships? You say things like, “If they make you feel constantly stressed, unsafe, or unappreciated, that’s not love—that’s a problem.”

Well, newsflash: work is a relationship too.

Your job should respect you.

Your job should challenge you, not damage you.

Your job should provide stability, not emotional landmines.

Your job should help you grow, not shrink.

And before someone jumps out of the bushes with the classic “But that’s just how the real world works,” let me gently remind you: the “real world” was built by people. Which means it can be changed by people. Which means you don’t have to settle for environments that drain the life out of you. You’re allowed to expect more. Demand more. Seek more.

Because here’s the truth you might have forgotten somewhere between deadlines and trying not to fall apart:

You’re a human being first. A worker second.

Your worth is not defined by productivity charts or performance reviews. Your value doesn’t go down when you’re overwhelmed. You don’t become replaceable just because someone above you has forgotten how to lead with empathy.

You deserve peace.

You deserve a job that doesn’t hijack your nervous system.

You deserve a life where making a living doesn’t cost you your inner calm.

So the next time you find yourself swallowing stress like it’s part of the job description, I hope you pause and remember:

There is zero reason—none—why work should harm you.

And if it is?

That’s your sign that something needs to change. Not you, but the environment you’re in.

Because you deserve to earn a living without losing yourself.