Remember back to the days of Covid pandemic lockdowns. Imagine working overtime at a hospital during that time.

If you were burnt out and exhausted from this extra work, would you keep working overtime for the extra money, or would you cut back on your hours to prioritize your mental health?

In this story, one couple is debating this exact issue. The husband works at the hospital, and the wife isn’t sure if he should cut back his hours or not.

Let’s read all about it.

WIBTA: Want to ask my partner to stop working overtime

Context is very important (and why I think I may be in the wrong. ):

We are in Melbourne Aus, in our 5th week of lockdown 6 since covid hit.

He works in a high stress position in a hospital which has had part of it be converted back into being a covid ward. (We are of course, both fully vaccinated as are my whole family for what its worth).

Living with family is a great way to save money.

We are living with my parents to save for a deposit for a house so money (from overtime/saving) is very important however we are saving super-fast and spending hardly anything, well ahead of our savings projections

My parents are (as any parents would be) difficult.

Exacerbated by the fact my dad is retired and mum working from home, I think they’re going a little batty from lockdown – so while it isn’t dangerous or volatile at their home, it isn’t pleasant and hanging at home all day is in no way fun.

Her husband is burnt out.

My partner’s hospital is understaffed and overworked with staff dropping shifts constantly.

Every day he comes home more drained than the one before. Every day he is almost crying from defeated frustration at his situation.

The last time he worked OT he was a right tired jerk on the weekend. Grumpy, abrupt, disinterested in anything.

She thinks time might be more valuable than money in this case.

I try to value my time and my money equally.

We don’t earn very good money, but I hate the idea that he is sacrificing himself and his time and his future energy for a few hundred dollars (in the scheme of a $55k downpayment it doesn’t feel big to me)

I can’t tell him what to do, I wouldn’t dream of it. But he asked me what I think of him doing this OT shift.

I voiced my problems with him exhausting himself at work before. I’m entirely aware its theoretically short term loss for longterm gain of a house. I would value peoples opinions in WIBTA

It sounds like her husband needs a break. If he is asking for her opinion, he probably wants validation that it’s okay to say no to overtime.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This person knows she just wants what’s best for her husband.

Here’s a suggestion about how to approach the subject.

Nobody did anything wrong.

One person has a question about stress management.

Mental health is more important than money.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.