Woman Argues This ‘Trick’ For Reclaiming Your Time While Working Long Hours Can ‘Save The Day’
Your work doesn’t need to be the focal point of your life.
Antonio_Diaz / Canva Pro What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up on a weekday? For many people, that answer is painstakingly obvious — it’s work. Many workers find themselves sacrificing their first thoughts to work, their entire morning, and often their entire day.
It’s not just you. So many people are sacrificing their mental health, well-being, and personal lives for their jobs. That’s why TikTok creator Trina Merz suggested adopting this one simple practice into your daily life to make space for yourself.
Merz and her friends invented 'save the day' to reclaim the work week.
Despite discourse that recognizes a poor work-life balance and work stress as harmful, over 90% of employees still spend more than their required 40 hours a week at their jobs. Not only that, 95% of workers are experiencing burnout because of it.
So much of our identities and self-worth are integrated with our work, especially in the United States, which values productivity and hustle culture over free time. It becomes nearly impossible to strip away the guilt of distancing ourselves from it. We’re hyperaware of its importance in our lives; it’s not just a vague suggestion. Our financial livelihoods, insurance, social assistance programs, and kids’ school schedules are all tied to our jobs.
So, how can we slowly break away from the inescapable burden of “work” in our lives or at least attempt to reclaim our days to remind ourselves that we are whole humans outside of the office?
Whether it’s reading a book or seeing friends, Merz tries to ‘save the day’ by reclaiming work days as her own.
Merz and her friends make space to be whole beings outside of work as a ritual they dubbed “saving the day.” She explained, “It started out as this fun thing that we used to casually talk about all the time. If we had a really busy day at work, we would reach out to each other and say, ‘How’d you save the day?'"
Sadly, our average “leisure time” has steadily decreased from just a couple of decades ago. More and more people are experiencing “time poverty” and losing the joy of leisure time in a way that’s detrimental to mental health, identity, and relationships.
Dean Drobot / CanvaPro
Merz added, “There’s honestly so many ways that you can save the day, and it doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. It could even be just making a cup of tea and cozying up with one of your favorite books.”
Not only is it a fun ritual, but the intention to ‘save the day’ also sparks a recentering of you into your life.
Of course, since statistics about work balance, boundaries, and free time aren’t becoming any more forgiving, there are great reminders about intention that can help you “save the day” if you don’t have more than a few minutes.
Stick to a “work ritual” that helps to recenter your body into a productive mindset. Not only is this helpful for accomplishing your work in the office, but it can also give you space to truly separate yourself when you decide it’s time to return to your personal life.
You can also use affirmations and intentions to set the tone for your day. As you drink your coffee on the way to work, remind yourself that you’re only human. Give yourself the grace to do your best at work without any stipulations. Plan out your evening in a way that gives you a little bit of time for yourself.
To save the day, you don’t need to call in sick or spend hours doing something for yourself — just set intentions that help to remind you of your humanness.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.