Help my New Boss is a Workaholic - What now?
Learning to set boundaries, preserve your sanity, and sustain long-term success
I’ve been in this game for a while now, and overall, it’s been good. Mostly smooth sailing, with a few longer days and early mornings thrown in for good measure. And let’s be honest, the pay’s been decent—no complaints there.
But let me tell you a little story that might sound familiar. There's this guy, a seasoned expert, called in to fix a very expensive piece of equipment. He spends 30 minutes inspecting it, finds the exact spot that needs a little hammering, and voilà—problem solved. He writes up an invoice for $50,000. The boss, naturally, balks at the cost, questioning how such a simple fix could justify such a high fee. The expert breaks it down: "$50 for the 30 minutes of work, and $49,950 for knowing exactly where to hammer."
Now, I’m no stranger to that kind of value. I’ve been around the block, I know this stuff, and I’ve done it before. But there’s a new twist in my story: I’ve got a new boss. She’s good—she knows her stuff, no question. But she’s also a workaholic, burning the midnight oil, and probably the candle at both ends.
Just yesterday, fresh out of day surgery, we had a 90-minute debrief call—late into the evening. I rolled with it, as I usually do. But here’s where it gets a bit intense: a dozen or so emails over the weekend. Now, she doesn’t expect immediate responses, but just seeing those emails pop up during my downtime adds a layer of stress - and to all the others cc. Not to you: don’t do that, the research shows that one needs 2-3 hours after an work email to get back in weekend mode. Note to self: I need to introduce her to the wonders of the "schedule send" function.
Fast forward to tonight—it's past 9 PM, and we're still exchanging emails and messages. I get it—she’s new, driven, and shouldering a lot of responsibility. But here's the thing: this is a marathon, not a sprint. We’re looking at a transformation that will take 3-4 years to complete. Going full throttle from day one isn’t sustainable. I've seen this play out before. Burnout isn’t a badge of honour; it’s a roadblock to long-term success.
Now, here’s the kicker. They want to extend my contract by six months, which on the surface sounds great—steady income and all that. But there's a catch: they’re offering it at a considerably lower rate. That’s annoying, to say the least. I’m the guy they throw into any situation because I know exactly where to hammer. But because you’re giving me a longer contract, you think I should take a pay cut? It’s not exactly motivating, especially now that I’m working for a boss who’s redefining the term “workaholic.” More work, less pay—yeah, that’s not the ideal scenario.
So, where do I draw the line? We’re hiring new people, and we should be encouraging them to stick to the 9-5, not pushing them to the brink. If they start burning out, they’ll leave—it’s that simple. We’re not fostering a culture of hard work; we’re teetering on the edge of burnout culture.
I’ve got some thinking to do. Am I really ready to step back into the consulting grind, where Monday to Thursday, you’re owned by the client? I’m not so sure anymore.
It’s time to reassess, set some boundaries, and decide what really matters. After all, knowing where to hammer is just part of the equation. Knowing when to step back might be even more important.
Walter
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