Faking my sickness so I could get a rest day, after working continuously for over a month

There are days when being “the most reliable person” at work feels less like a compliment and more like a curse. At my company’s headquarters, I’ve somehow become the one person they depend on for everything — and because of that, I’m constantly stretched thin, treated like a machine rather than a human being with limits.

Recently, the company pushed a massive project worth at least RM1 million, expecting everyone to give their all. But while others work a single shift a day with two off days a week, my reality is very different.

 I’m alone, handling the workload of multiple people, and answering to at least three different bosses every single day. None of them coordinate with each other. None of them ask if I’m coping, sleeping, or even functioning.

Most nights, I’ve worked until midnight, only to wake up and continue first thing in the morning. And still — not a single word of concern. Not even once.

When I finally got my off days, I thought I could breathe… but no. My boss decided that I could still be called to work anytime it was “convenient” for them. It was infuriating. My welfare simply wasn’t part of the equation.

Even when I agreed to step in, I still got scolded by people who assumed I only had one task to do. They had no idea how many responsibilities I juggle at once.

And let’s talk about overtime. We’re entitled to claim for all those extra hours, but the desk decided to cut some of my claims because they “felt” I submitted too much. That left me speechless and deeply disappointed.

At one point, I pretended to be sick just to get 24 hours of peace — a small chance to ignore the nonstop calls and ridiculous requests. But even then, they still messaged me asking for phone numbers and contacts, as if the entire company couldn’t survive a day without me. Their panic when I’m not working says everything.

Honestly, I’ve had enough. Enough of being used. Enough of being treated like a spare part in a broken system. Enough of carrying the weight of everyone else’s KPIs.

And yet… I hate to admit this part: the job does pay better than most. The salary gives me purchasing power, lets me enjoy things I love, and funds the vacations I look forward to. It’s the one thing that makes walking away difficult.

But no paycheck should come at the cost of your sanity.