- Linda Le wanted to be challenged at work but not at the expense of her mental health so she quit.
- Le got another recruiting job elsewhere that provides flexibility, PTO, and a four-day workweek.
- She now has a healthy-girl job and she’s proud of Gen Z for making the workplace healthier.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Linda Le, a 24-year-old recruiter based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I used to work for a recruiting company where working long 60- to 80-hour weeks was glorified. The culture was all about hustle.
As a recruiter, I screened and sourced candidates as well as help them revise résumés and prep for interviews.
It felt like being the last one out of the office and choosing not to take vacations was a good thing. Then when I did take PTO, I was really just on call and could never truly unplug.
On a normal day, I was working 12 to 15 hours a day. I worked early mornings, nights and weekends just to keep up with the workload. I also had a two-hour commute to and from work, and right when I got home I went to bed.
Even though I performed well for the company, my mental health always felt like it came second. I’d come home from work and cry every single day. There were times where I felt like I was suffocating and couldn’t breathe.
I never felt good enough, no matter what I did. I’d think I have to meet my goals at work. I have to meet them.
Then when I didn’t, I had to explain why in meetings and it felt embarrassing. Those meetings gave me so much anxiety. One time, my boss lectured me in front of the team for not meeting my metrics for the first time. That moment had a big, negative impact on me and it was those kinds of actions that made the work environment extremely stressful.
For a while, I chose to stay at that job because my colleagues and I were often told that quitting the company was lazy, or weak. Management said things like, “Why would you want to work somewhere easier — don’t you want to be challenged?”
Eventually, I realized I didn’t want to be challenged at the expense of mental health, so I left and got another recruiting job elsewhere.
I now have what people call a ‘lazy girl job’, but to me it’s a healthy girl job
The recruiting job I have now allows me to set my own schedule and provides true flexibility. I’m fully remote, work four days a week, and don’t feel like I have to compromise my mental health to get my work done.
I’m treated a lot better by management and my boss. They trust me to do my work and don’t micromanage me. For example, they let me keep my camera off during meetings, and if I need help they provide it. I also have the option to take paid time off, which my managers encourage me to use for my mental health.
Now that I have more flexibility in my schedule, I feel more centered and balanced at work and in my life as well. I go for walks, take lunch breaks, and go on vacation. I invest more time into my friendships and relationships, and I also spend time exploring different cities on the weekends.
Overall, my new job feels much better. I think a lot of times people believe they have to suffer or tie their self worth to their jobs, and I now know that doesn’t have to be the case.
You shouldn’t have to burn out to be successful
When I tell people about my job, I receive a lot of negative comments and hate messages. They tell me I don’t work hard, or that I’m lucky to have a “lazy girl job.”
They’ll say things like, “You just get to sit at your desk and do nothing all day,” or “You don’t know what true hard work looks like.” But that’s not true.
Still, I’ll put myself in their shoes and think back to when I was in a toxic work environment — I also couldn’t comprehend what work-life balance was.
It took some time to heal from that mindset. But now that I’m in a place that pays better and treats me better, I realize how I never want to settle again. I have a healthy girl job and that’s a good thing.
I’m proud of Gen Z for changing the narrative
Gen Z is making the workplace healthier by challenging and breaking barriers. We’re no longer tolerating burn out and hustle culture, and we’re looking for cultures that prioritize our lives over work.
I truly believe you can be successful in your work, without ruining your mental health.
If you have a “lazy girl job” and want to share your story, email Alyshia Hull at ahull@businessinsider.com.
