A Day in the Life of Ji-hye, the ‘Pro Overtime Worker’
Here is Ji-hye, an ordinary office worker often said to be ‘married to her work.’ Her morning starts with work-related notifications ringing on her smartphone. On the subway to work, she skims through unread emails, and as soon as she sits down, she is overwhelmed by a flood of work requests.
Ji-hye is what you might call a ‘master multitasker.’ She writes reports while negotiating tasks via messenger, answers calls in between, and prepares meeting materials. Everyone calls her competent, but inside, Ji-hye felt burned out. Despite being busy all day, when the end of the workday approached, it seemed like she hadn’t finished a single task properly. As a result, the shadow of ‘overtime’ loomed long over her desk once again today.
“Tomorrow, I will definitely leave work on time.”
This promise, repeated hundreds of times, feels as empty as a cold dinner. Pushed by work, she postpones appointments, loses hobbies, and talks less with family. Suddenly, Ji-hye wonders, ‘Am I really living my life properly right now?’
Chapter 1: Why Can’t We Leave Work on Time?
The ‘Illusion’ That Calls for Overtime
Many office workers, like Ji-hye, consider multitasking a measure of ability. However, handling multiple tasks simultaneously is actually just ‘dividing attention’ from the brain’s perspective. Our brains are designed to focus fully on only one task at a time.
Switching between writing a report and checking messenger consumes unnecessary energy in the brain. It takes more time than expected to regain focus. Ultimately, work efficiency drops, minor mistakes increase, and this vicious cycle leads to overtime. We mistakenly believe we worked busily, but in reality, we wasted time in a fluster.
The Heart That Can’t Say ‘No’
“Ji-hye, could you please handle this?”
Thirty minutes before leaving work, the boss always throws new tasks. Afraid of seeming irresponsible or being disliked, Ji-hye cannot bring herself to say, “Can I handle this tomorrow morning?” This desire to be a ’nice person’ steals our evenings entirely.
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We need to acknowledge that our time and energy are limited and have the courage to politely set boundaries on impossible requests. This is not selfishness but a professional attitude to protect our work rhythm and produce better results.
Chapter 2: Work-Life Balance Is Both a Right and a Skill
One day, pushed to the brink of burnout, Ji-hye makes a firm decision: “I will reclaim my stolen evenings!” Instead of just reducing work, she decides to completely change her way of working.
First Skill: Build a ‘Wall of Focus’
Ji-hye set aside 90 minutes for her most important tasks, turning off all notifications and focusing solely on one task during that time. At first, she felt uneasy, but surprisingly, tasks that took her three hours of frantic work were neatly completed in just 90 minutes. She realized that the key is not the ’length’ of work time but its ‘density.’
Second Skill: Design Your ‘Evening’
“What should I do after work?”
Previously, Ji-hye would just stare blankly at the TV or fiddle with her smartphone until falling asleep. Now, she actively started to ‘design’ her evenings. Mondays were for reading books by her favorite author, Wednesdays for walks in the neighborhood park, and Fridays for enjoying dinner with friends.
Filling her after-work time with these ‘small plans’ changed her days completely. She began to welcome leaving work not as the ’end of work’ but as the ‘start of enjoyment.’ She physically felt that resting well is the best investment for tomorrow’s self.
Third Skill: Practice Is Needed for ‘Rest’ Too
We have learned how to work but not how to rest properly. True rest is not simply stopping work. It is an ‘active act’ of completely disconnecting thoughts from work and recharging body and mind.
Sleeping all weekend or relieving weekday fatigue with alcohol is not true rest. It only tires the body more. We need to find and consistently practice a ‘recovery skill’ that suits us, such as light exercise, meditation, or deep conversations with loved ones.
To You Dreaming of a Life with Evenings
Months later, Ji-hye is no longer a ‘pro overtime worker.’ She leaves work on time, enjoys evenings with loved ones, and delights in learning new hobbies on weekends. Remarkably, her work performance has improved significantly.
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Work-life balance is not simply a 50:50 split of work and life time. It is a process of regaining a life balance where you immerse yourself intensely while working and return fully to your true self while resting.
Are you, like Ji-hye, longing for the lost evenings? If so, remember this: the right to a life with evenings and a balanced work-life is yours and yours alone. How about taking the first step today to reclaim that right?