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Having been married to her job and suffered the effects of burnout in the past, a woman has gone viral after sharing the key signs your coworker has no life outside of work. Ever worked with a colleague who seems to devote all their time to work and nothing else? They live and breathe the job and can’t seem to make conversation about anything other than what happens in the office—you know the type. Sara Lindquist, 31, of Minnesota, has dealt with many of these colleagues before, and at one point even found herself becoming that person. She told Newsweek that she made work her whole personality in the past, and in turn “lost who [she] was outside the job.” Lindquist said: “On the outside everything looked great; on the inside I was crumbling.” Sara Lindquist, 31, discussing the signs someone has no identity outside of work. @corporatecleanse / TikTok But now she’s zoomed out from that and founded @corporatecleanse, a burnout and career-wellness coaching brand. She regularly shares her thoughts on social media, and a TikTok video listing the four signs your coworker doesn’t have a life outside of work has gone viral with over 1.7 million views and 70,500 likes at the time of writing. The Four Signs to Look Out For: Work is their entire personality and every conversation is about the job They treat work like it’s their family and take everything personally Thinking rest is a sign of weakness, bragging about working endlessly Not knowing who they are without the job “I admire the drive and passion, and I also wonder about the trade-offs such as sleep, friendships, hobbies, health,” Lindquist said. “Making work your whole world can win short-term, but it narrows life and raises the risk of burnout. “People who don’t know who they are outside of work are experiencing career enmeshment. Their identity and job are fused, so self-worth rises and falls with performance and praise. This shows up as blurred boundaries, neglected relationships and hobbies, and a heightened risk of identity crisis if the role changes.” When people treat work like a family, Lindquist believes it’s a tactic to justify long hours and make them feel guilty for logging off. Contrastingly, a healthy team ethic will respect your boundaries and the need to say “no.” For those who think rest is weak, that’s a signal to Lindquist that they’ve been conditioned by hustle culture and capitalism. It leads people to tie their worth to their output, which is a direct route to burnout. “The irony is the less you rest, the worse you perform. Nobody benefits from your no-sleep grind except the system that could replace you in a week,” Lindquist said. While this can occur in any workplace, these patterns occur more prominently in careers which reward prestige and urgency, according to Lindquist. This includes law, finance, tech, healthcare and sales. Age can also be a factor, as she believes that early career workers are more vulnerable as they are yet to prove their worth. Fortunately, there is hope for people who check all the boxes. Lindquist suggests that “the antidote” is to rebuild healthy boundaries, diversify your identity and value who you are beyond the workplace. After sharing these signs on TikTok, Lindquist has been amazed by the online response. She has gained thousands of new followers and received hundreds of comments from people who related to each of the red flags. “It clearly struck a nerve and validated that this isn’t an isolated experience,” Lindquist told Newsweek. “I’m so passionate about helping people set clean boundaries and build a life beyond the paycheck. I’ve since zoomed out and redefined what success looks like for me and my life. The only way we get better is by learning to care for ourselves first,” she continued. With over 480 comments on the viral TikTok video, people were quick to share their thoughts on corporate burnout. One comment reads: “they are the first to arrive and the last to leave, making you seem lazy.” Another TikTok user wrote: “they confuse unhealthy obsession with dedication.” Not everyone agreed though, as another commenter replied: “I prefer this type of coworker than the lazy one.” Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
