The Soul-Crushing Early Career Hustle: Office Politics, Overwhelm, and Burnout

Let’s just be real for a minute. No one prepares you for how exhausting those early years of a corporate career can be. You spend all of college trying to build your resume, get internships, learn the "rules" of professionalism—and then you land the job, and it’s a whole new storm.

The Daily Struggle

You’re trying to navigate office politics without any kind of roadmap. Trying to sound competent and friendly in emails that you rewrite five times before sending. That feeling of constantly updating a to-do list that never actually gets shorter. And then the deadlines. The late nights. The "just stay a little longer" that turns into 8pm and takeout at your desk.

The Emotional Toll

It can be draining. Like, soul-deep draining. Especially when you’re still trying to earn respect, find your voice, and not burn out before you even hit your second year. And if you’re quiet or introverted, it’s even harder.

A Note to You

If you’re in that space right now, just know: you're not alone. And you're not weak for feeling overwhelmed. This system wasn’t built for soft, creative, introspective people—but we’re still out here making it work, even if it's messy.

You Deserve More

Please don’t lose yourself trying to survive a system that doesn’t see the full you yet. Your worth is not in how many emails you reply to before lunch. You deserve a career that fits you, not the other way around.