Mindy Kailing, the iconic comedy queen, has done it again. She released her third show, Not Suitable for Work, based on post-grad life in NYC, navigating the ups and downs of doing it on your own. You’ve probably seen a clip on your FYP about the new Hulu show, or maybe you were up to date with it when it came out every week. It follows a group of 5 post-grads in Murray Hill, trying to make it in various fields: finance, journalism, fashion, and acting. They do this all while sharing walls, secrets, and occasional vulnerable moments. It’s easy to watch as a hangout comedy, but underneath the dialogue is something a lot of young professionals in this city will recognize instantly: the exhausting, all-consuming pull of building a career at the exact moment you’re also trying to build a life.
That tension is the real subject of the show. And it’s worth sitting with, because it says something true about how burnout actually starts.
Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse, it looks like ambition. None of the characters are lazy, they’re all sharp, driven, and terrified of falling behind, yet they’re all able to pursue what is important to them. That’s what makes their exhaustion so easy to miss, including to themselves. Burnout isn’t obvious. It looks more like staying an hour later than you need to, or checking your email fifteen seconds before you fall asleep, just to make sure you didn’t miss anything.
The truth is, a season of low grade overextension can look identical to a season of genuine momentum. The difference isn’t how hard you’re working, it’s whether there’s anything left of you when the workday ends.
Additionally, work and identity get tangled fast when you’re new to a city and a career. Part of what makes the show’s setting so resonant is how specific it is to New York. When you move here for a job, especially your first one, the job has a way of becoming your whole life for a while. Your neighborhood, your friends, your sense of whether you’re doing “well,” all of it starts to orbit around the office. That’s not a personal failing, it’s just what happens when you’re rebuilding a social world from scratch and work is the fastest and most direct place to find one.
But what this also means is that the stakes of any bad day at work gets inflated. A rough meeting doesn’t just feel like a rough meeting. It can feel like evidence that the whole move, the whole idea, was a mistake. That kind of pressure, sustained over months, is exactly the soil burnout grows in.
Working less isn’t the antidote to this. It’s about building a self that exists outside the job. The is the part the show gets right almost by accident, through all the plot lines, the mini fights, owning up to your passions, and late night conversations that have nothing to do with anyone’s career. The characters who seem most resilient aren’t the ones with the least ambition. They’re the ones who have something, or someone outside of work that they’re accountable to. A roommate that notices when they’re off, or a parent that notices their energy is not the same.
If you’re in that season of your life where it feels like this right now, your goal shouldn’t be less. It’s to make sure your sense of self isn’t entirely on it. That can be as small as protecting one weekly plan that has nothing to do with getting ahead, or noticing when “I don’t have time” has quietly become your default answer to almost everything.
Burnout is never a sign that you’re not built for this. It’s usually a sign that you’ve been running on one source of meaning for too long. The fix isn’t more discipline, it’s more of everything else.
If this is a season you’re navigating by yourself, we’re here. At Manhattan Wellness, we have therapists that specialize in burnout and can help you relocate your self-esteem and worth.
THERAPY SERVICES FOR ANXIETY WE OFFER IN MANHATTAN & BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
The truth is, there’s no single or one-size-fits-all approach to anxiety treatment. Everyone has a different approach to managing anxiety and anxious thoughts. That is why it’s important to get clear on what works for you. Once you have a better understanding of yourself and your values, you can start designing your life based on the things that are most important to you.
Therapy for women in Manhattan and Brooklyn is a great way to figure out how to manage your anxious mind. At Manhattan Wellness, we will provide you with a safe space to explore your feelings and goals. So you can find clarity on what you want for yourself. We will pair your vulnerability with our empathy and encouragement. Then together we will uncover the key elements that will take you from where you are now to where you want to be. If you are ready to make the changes you want in your life:
- Submit a Contact Form or Email Us at hello@manhattanwellness.org
- Learn More About Our Team of Female Therapists and Our Areas of Expertise
- Let’s Talk About How We Can Help You Feel Empowered & Ready To Take The Next Step.
We believe that you have the power within yourself to make the changes you want and find your version of success. Our female therapists are here to support you in navigating this journey. Allowing you to reclaim your identity and take control of your life. Thus allowing you to create the future you’ve been dreaming of.
OTHER THERAPY SERVICES OFFERED IN MANHATTAN, WESTCHESTER BROOKLYN, & THROUGHOUT NEW YORK
At Manhattan Wellness, our therapists are here to support you in navigating this journey and reclaiming your identity. So you can take control of your life and create the future you’ve been dreaming of. This is why we offer a variety of services to ensure you get the support, care, and guidance necessary. The therapy services we offer are Therapy for Maternal Mental Health, Self-Esteem Counseling, and Anxiety Treatment. Along with Dating/Relationship Counseling, Counseling for College Students, and more. Feel as if you are not living the life you deserve? Let’s talk about it.
