{"id":161,"date":"2025-09-16T15:54:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/good-worldwide.go-vip.net\/upworthy\/2025\/09\/16\/mentors-8-word-phrase-saved-this-employee-from-burnout-and-made-him-appear-more-professional\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T15:54:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:54:00","slug":"mentors-8-word-phrase-saved-this-employee-from-burnout-and-made-him-appear-more-professional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodinc.com\/qa-upworthy\/2025\/09\/16\/mentors-8-word-phrase-saved-this-employee-from-burnout-and-made-him-appear-more-professional\/","title":{"rendered":"A mentor’s 8-word phrase saved this employee from burnout and ‘saved his career’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Burnout<\/a> is a real struggle among American workers<\/a>. According to a 2025 study<\/a> released by Moodle, 66% of Americans reported feeling burnout from their jobs<\/a>. And in another 2025 workplace poll<\/a> conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), workers reported high rates of \u201cburnout,\u201d \u201cstress,\u201d and \u201coverwhelm.\u201d<\/p>

To help others, a man struggling with burnout in his career shared in a since deleted Reddit post<\/a> how his mentor taught him a simple phrase to use with his boss to better manage expectations while seemingly helping him appear more professional. <\/p>

“A lot of us early in our careers say yes to everything. That\u2019s how you burn out fast,” he wrote, before sharing that a mentor taught him an eight-word phrase that helped save his career: “I can do it, but not by then.”<\/p>

\"burnout,
Tired TVu00a0Land GIF by TV Land Classic Giphy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> <\/p>

He went on to explain, “Instead of: ‘I can\u2019t take this on’, s<\/em>ay: ‘I can take this on, but realistically it\u2019ll be done by [X date].’ <\/em>This does three things: Shows you\u2019re willing, not lazy. Sets realistic boundaries without burning bridges. Teaches others to respect your time.”<\/p>

The employee concluded, “The irony? You\u2019ll usually be seen as more professional \u2014 not less \u2014 because you\u2019re managing expectations instead of dropping the ball.”<\/p>

The advice resonated with many other workers, who also shared how they manage their boss’ expectations of them. <\/p>

“So true,” one commented. “Setting expectations early and offering a realistic alternative saves so much headache down the road.”<\/p>\n

\n
@melrobbins<\/a>

This is why you feel so burnt out and tired… Thank you @Jay Shetty for having me on this episode of @On\u2002Purpose\u2002Podcast! #melrobbins<\/a> #letthemtheory<\/a> #boundaries<\/a> #ownyourdecisions<\/a> <\/p> \u266c original sound – Mel Robbins<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>