It’s surreal, really...these last two days of working out my notice. The finality of it all is sinking in, and the weight of reflection feels heavier than I expected. As I pack up my things, the memories of stressful days flood back. Days where the demands far outweighed the resources, where it felt like no matter how much I gave, it was never enough. And here’s the kicker: I’m walking away with 98 hours of paid time off (PTO), hours I’ll never see a dime for.
That’s 98 hours of my life I earned but won’t be compensated for. Let that sink in for a moment.
In today’s hustle culture, especially for us millennial's and Gen Z, we’ve been conditioned to believe that success comes from grinding away, putting in the extra hours, and pushing through no matter the cost. I am proclaiming that part of work culture is now dead to me.
We’ve been told that hard work will pay off, that loyalty to a company will be rewarded, and that burning the candle at both ends is just a necessary part of the journey. PAY YOUR DUES! But what happens when the payoff is nothing more than an empty balance sheet, with weeks of unpaid time left on the table?
In a way, those 98 hours are the perfect metaphor for the last few years. It’s not just time lost; it’s a reminder of how I was willing to sacrifice my well-being for a job that, in the end, couldn’t even pay me back with my own time. It’s a revelation of how overworked and undervalued I was, buried under a mountain of expectations and a serious lack of manpower. There were weeks I worked well over 55 hours, not because I had to, but because I felt like I owed it to my team to be in the trenches with them. The longer I worked, the less I got paid, (salary employee here), but that never seemed to matter because I was driven by a need to make sure our area succeeded.
But at what cost?
The reality is, every extra hour I gave to my job was an hour taken away from the people I love. I traded moments with family for moments at a desk, convinced that it was just part of the grind, the hustle. But now, standing at the edge of this chapter, I see it for what it was...an unsustainable cycle of overwork that left me with nothing but exhaustion and 98 hours of unpaid PTO.
We often hear about the importance of work-life balance, but it’s only when you step back that you realize just how skewed that balance can become. And here’s the hard truth: no job is worth your mental health, your relationships, or your happiness. Those 98 hours are gone, but they’ve taught me something invaluable. They’ve taught me to prioritize what truly matters... I, never again will put a job before my well-being, and for now on plan to value my time, and to spend it wisely.
If you’re reading this and feeling that familiar knot of anxiety in your stomach, take it as a sign. Reflect on how you’re spending your time and what you’re sacrificing in the process. It’s easy to get caught up in the grind, to tell yourself it’s just the way things are. But it doesn’t have to be. You deserve better. You deserve to live a life that isn’t measured by how many hours you put in at work but by the quality of the time you spend with those who matter most.
But here’s where the narrative changes. Because while I may not get those hours back, I’m walking away with something far more valuable, a renewed sense of what’s important. I’m choosing to no longer sacrifice my well-being for a job that doesn’t see me as a person, but as a resource. I’m choosing to prioritize my family, my health, and my happiness over the endless work. And most importantly, I’m choosing to never again let a job take more from me than it gives.
So, as I close this chapter, I’m choosing to focus on what lies ahead. It’s a reminder that my time is valuable, and it’s up to me to decide how I spend it. So, as I step away from the stress, the lack of resources, and the impossible expectations, I’m stepping into a future where I control my time and energy. I may be leaving 98 hours of paid time off on the table, but I’m walking away with something far more valuable, a renewed sense of purpose and the knowledge that my time is worth so much more than any paycheck could ever reflect.
And that,
my friends,
is priceless.
Loving Life,
Jess Pye
