Try GOLD - Free

My Job Is Destroying My Mental Health...but the Pay Is Great.

Cosmopolitan US

|

July - August 2023

Our advice columnist, therapist Minaa B., on what happens when your financial well-being comes at too high a price.

- By Minaa B.

My Job Is Destroying My Mental Health...but the Pay Is Great.

Dear Minaa,

Most of my career has been temp work zero benefits, measly pay-but now I have a permanent position and it's a major relief. I'm an administrative assistant at a hospital and I love the job. But my boss? An unbelievable micromanager. When I'm knocking out paperwork, she asks for updates every hour until it's in her hands. And she continues to monitor my every move, despite regularly acknowledging that I'm a hard worker. It has started to make me doubt my abilities. It's not just me-other colleagues have started pushing back, challenging her authority on the daily, and things have gotten heated.

What sucks even more is that those coworkers aren't great either. They have been here for years and are super cliquey. I gathered the courage to ask three of them out to lunch, and they each gave me a separate excuse and declined. At noon, I watched them leave together for the cafeteria. It sounds so high school, but I was really bummed out.

My mental health has taken a serious hit with all this-yet I'm making the best money of my professional life. I've of course interviewed elsewhere...but nowhere that pays as much. Should I stick it out for the money or GTFO?

MORE STORIES FROM Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Love & Basketball

Model Lauren Chan and filmmaker Hayley Kosan's party makes the case for a joint courtside bachelorette.

time to read

1 min

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Ariana Greenblatt on Main

The 18-year-old star of the new movie Now You See Me: Now You Don't grew up—and still very much lives—on the internet, although sometimes she wishes she didn't.

time to read

10 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Phone Accessories Are Fashion, Too

You've heard of a crossbody bag. Now get ready for sling tech.

time to read

1 min

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

The Stars on Your Favorite Stars

In every issue, we break down the cosmic compatibility of celebrity couples. Are they meant to be...or will they have broken up by the time this story comes out?

time to read

2 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

BABYMONSTER

Every year, Cosmopolitan honors Gen Z luminaries driving conversations and culture. Leading this year's lineup: the girl group that's defining the next era of K-pop.

time to read

1 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Serving Looks and Legacy

Black hair shows are spectacular events that provide endless inspiration, writes beauty editor-at-large.

time to read

1 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

One Week Later

Cosmopolitan and Sourcebooks have partnered up on an exciting book imprint: Cosmo Reads.

time to read

7 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Charlotte Isenberg Wanted an Abortion. Her Friends Had Other Ideas.

\"Progressive” anti-abortion activists claim to be a feminist wing of the movement. But when one of their former compatriots tried to end her pregnancy, they went to extreme lengths to stop her.

time to read

14 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Abby Jimenez Is Reinventing the Meet-Cute

The queen of emotional love stories tackled her biggest challenge yet with her eighth book, The Night We Met. In this exclusive conversation and excerpt, she shares why her passion for these characters will soon be your passion, too.

time to read

2 mins

Winter 2026

Cosmopolitan US

Cosmopolitan US

Fighting Monsters With My 5 Fake Boyfriends

As one of the 50+ million players of the video game Love and Deepspace, I gained superpowers and found romance. Could this be the solution to dating-app fatigue?

time to read

5 mins

Winter 2026

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size