You’re at home on a Saturday afternoon. You’ve reheated last night’s Chinese, your favourite TV show is playing in the background, and you have people coming over for a movie watch- party. Throw in a blanket and a pet dog and life at that moment would reach its peak happiness.

A beep from your phone pulls you out of the weekend calm. You look over, secretly hoping it’s a friend calling to cancel plans. But no, it’s work, reminding you of something you missed. And now? You’ll need to finish it before Monday when, ironically, work “officially” starts again.

On your weekend off, when you’re mentally in Goa sipping on margaritas your phone is a reminder that hey, you aren’t on vacation, neither are you sick… so why do you deserve to have a life? Unfortunately, the technology that brought you endless scrolls on Instagram and all the power you need to stalk your cute neighbour is also the technology that lets you know that you’ve labelled a file wrong and now your client’s world is ending.

It isn’t only technology to blame. It’s also the cause of a toxic work environment.

You rush to pick up the phone, lest you lose your upcoming promotion that your boss said you “maybe, probably” will get. The most important thing to do if you feel like the lines are blurred between your work and your life is to set boundaries. You may sometimes be tempted to build a protective moat between you and your coworkers, I know. But laying down basic conditions like “do not contact me during the weekends”, and “once I’ve left work do not talk to me about it” helps let some people know that non-work-you is off limits.

You might consider moving to Europe, where the Friday-to-Monday break is sacred; they’ll make it clear if you cross that line. But on a more serious note, if establishing clear boundaries is possible, then everyone working in challenging environments deserves to have that same respect for their time. You shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to do nothing. Whether you’re working hard to get extra snacks by the pool or extra savings in your bank, taking some time off to reap the rewards shouldn’t be taboo.

Of course, you may have a boss who doesn’t respect boundaries. In that case, finding a better way to communicate this is ideal. But when your boss still calls you up and says it’s urgent and you’ve just had mimosas at lunch, it’s time for you to find other means of refuge. Talking to other employees just to make sure you’re not exaggerating things is a great start. Talking to someone and relating to each other’s circumstances can help make you feel less isolated.

Whether you work in corporate, as a freelancer, or own that chai stall outside the office, you deserve time off to reconnect. Healthy communication and transparency are preferable but not always achievable in a toxic workspace. But finding a community, someone to air out those thoughts with, and making the most of your time off is a first step. Reminding yourself that your hard work will pay off (or pay for your trip to Europe) is key.

“Either give me more wine or leave me alone.” is what Rumi said, but let’s leave that message as a last resort.

Written by: Ishita Ahuja

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