Article on the wellness culture and overwork:

We’re working longer hours than ever before, and as our employment conditions continue to worsen, they’re simply repackaged into a new version of normal in an effort to make the truly pathological state of many of our workplaces appear acceptable. And despite the fact that the very best evidence we have about the causes of work stress and burnout point to factors present in the workplace rather than in us, the stress reduction industry and the helping professions’ focus on individual self-care strategies is at an all-time high.

An intractable problem for me has been never getting over my closest friend from college dropping out of my life due to me being low status.  It’s strange how most of the thoughts of things in my past have lost their teeth (ability to harm me) but this one hasn’t.  I can’t work 70 hours a week like John.  And because of this I’m relegated to spotty consulting that doesn’t “count” as work with John or anyone else who is working full time (which supposedly means 40 hours per week but in practice means 60 or 70).

All the bullshit and cognitive tricks in the world won’t make this go away.  Of course it is the strongest when I’m doing work that doesn’t “count” as work because it isn’t in an office.

time heals some wounds
but infects others