Manager asks employee to work until 8pm on Friday, gets mad when they already had plans: 'The project wasn't urgent and could have been done Monday'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Aug 4, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Work-life balance is not always an easy one to strike. Some of us are workaholics and need a certain level of business to keep us from drowning. Others have a hard time motivating when it comes to buckling down and clocking in. But everyone needs to find the balance that works for them. And usually that means drawing boundaries with work. Work is the thing you do to be able to live your life, so it's important that that life is being lived, you feel me?

If you're always punching the clock, then what are you punching the clock for? You need friends, activities, and free time in order to be a healthy person. But sometimes that means telling your boss no. And this is far from easy to do, especially if you have a boss with an out-of-whack work-life balance. You might have to teach them that you're different. 

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    My manager asked me to work late on a Friday and got mad when I said I had plans.

    I've been working here for 8 months and I always stay late when needed but yesterday at 4pm my manager asked if I could stay until 8 to finish up a project. I told him I couldn't because I had dinner plans (my friend's birthday) and he said I need to "prioritize work" The project wasn't urgent
    via u/Proper_Dark8297
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    Cheezburger Image 10538423040
    via Thought Catalog

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • That's what happened to this worker who tried to draw a boundary around when they were going to work and not, but found that their boss wasn't quite ready to hear what they had to say. Read on to see what happened in this situation and decide what you would have done. 

  • 03
    and could have been done Monday. I'm so tired of this expectation that work comes before everything else like what's the point of having a life outside of work if I'm expected to drop everything whenever they need something? I've covered for people countless times, worked through
    via u/Proper_Dark8297
  • 04
    lunch breaks and even answered emails on weekends but the one time I say no because I have actual plans with a friend I'm suddenly not dedicated enough. The worst part is he made this passive aggressive comment about "team players" in front of other coworkers today. I'm gonna start looking for other jobs because this toxic mentality is everywhere at this company.
    via u/Proper_Dark8297
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    ART NEW YORK ch
    via Simon Abrams

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06

    Commenters agreed that they were right to decline.

    Kamimitsu • 3h ago "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency for me."
    via u/Kamimitsu
  • 07
    . b4d_dr34m ⚫ 2h ago It's so frustrating when companies preach "work-life balance" and then act personally offended when you try to live by it.
    via u/b4d_dr34m
  • 08
    CorporalEllenbogen · 2h ago "Why are you making this issue an iss-me?'
    via u/CorporalEllenbogen
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    Stolen Wishes • 2h ago he said I need to "prioritize work" Lol, no. Work is just what you do for money to have a life. Get out.
    via u/StolenWishes
  • 10
    Tyler DurdenFan • 2h ago > I've covered for people. countless times, worked through lunch breaks and even answered emails on weekends This was your big mistake. It is now expected of you. Avoid doing it in your next job.
    via u/TylerDurdenFan
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    ndooooodles • 3h ago I heard this statement once. "Once is a favor, twice becomes the expectation" unfortunately because you were trying to be a good worker you got yourself into a sh situation at a sh company. They now expect you to be thanking them for taking advantage of you.
    via u/ndooooodles
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    d3vil_k1ss1 · 2h ago . It's always revealing how quickly people forget the countless times you've said yes, but they never forget the one time you say no. You're not being unreasonable, you're being human. Having a life outside of work isn't disloyalty, it's balance.
    via u/d3vil_k1ss1
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    _how_do_i_reddit_ • 2h ago "I prioritize work between the hours of 8 and 5."
    via u/_how_do_i_reddit_
  • 14
    • KL_... 3h ago Edited 2h ago Always, always say that you are volunteering for a War orphans with Terminal Cancer Make-A-Wish Foundation run by the Church If he says anything, then say that he should be a "team player" on the side of God. /s Or ask for overtime.
    via u/KL_boy
  • 15
    • Horror_Personality49 2h ago I used to work abroad, 4 day weeks with 12 hour days. My boss refused to pay for the drive to and from the jobsite, sometimes 8 hours, they claimed "you weren't working on the project". Still everyone complied cause it's always been like that. So we had 8hr drive + 48-50hr work + 8hr
    via u/Horror_Personality49
  • 16
    drive in 4 days. The plan was to have a 3 day weekend and a higher base pay in return. Then, about a year in, they regularly started to call me in friday saying "you need to come in on saturday to work on one of our local projects." Mind you, I already sacrificed 66hrs of my life on a
    via u/Horror_Personality49
  • 17
    38,5hr/week contract that week. But they wouldn't give up until I finally agreed to come in, I knew my coworkers were fcked if I didn't show up, not enough people to cover. That was until some day I found out that my other coworkers had a good laugh behind my back, they said "we're never getting called in on saturdays, boss knows if he's persistent enough with you you'll just show up!"
    via u/Horror_Personality49
  • 18
    You should've heard how creative my boss got cussing. me out on the phone when next time he called about working on saturday and I told him to ask one of the other guys.
    via u/Horror_Personality49
  • 19
    rainbow_drizzle • 2h ago . "You need to prioritize work." Guess your manager just volunteered to stick around and do his job then.
    via u/rainbow_drizzle
  • 20
    South-Ad-9635 3h ago Ask him if he's going to stay late also
    via u/South-Ad-9635
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    thenord321 • 2h ago "I've been working here for 8 months and I always stay late when needed but" You filled in for bad labor management and planning by the manager in the past. You have to let them fail, so they hire enough labor instead.
    via u/thenord321
  • 22
    . Any_Nectarine_7806 2h ago When the pettiness begins ask, "Would you like to set up a meeting with HR?" If they say no, they are aware they are in the wrong. If they say yes, you can bring up all the examples you have just given. of helping out more often than not when you are asked.
    via u/Any_Nectarine_7806
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    Total-Addendum9327 2h ago Just say no and leave. Without notice this is an unreasonable expectation.
    via u/Total-Addendum9327
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    gadgetman29. 2h ago I work to live not live to work - anything above and beyond is at my discretion and for my benefit - you can ask, but don't be offended if I say no
    via u/gadgetman29
  • 25
    talleyrand2010 · 3h ago Basically you spoiled your boss. I used to do this before, now I just tell my boss in email if I have plans a day before. Also, don't say dinner plans etc. Just tell him you have an appointment. Make it sound important.
    via u/talleyrand2010
  • 26
    AdministrativeAide47 2h ago Just ignore them and keep being professional during work hours.
    via u/AdministrativeAide47
  • 27
    . jeffc0_3 2h ago You made the right choice, balderdash when someone try's to ask for overtime at the last minute. Real poor planning, usually if they haven't asked by latest Wednesday it's a no. Had a boss who hated that. I would ask on Wednesday if
    via u/jeffc0_3
  • 28
    there was any overtime. If the answer was a no when he rocked up at Friday dinner last minute asking everyone he would just scowl at me as he knew the answer.
    via u/jeffc0_3
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    HalfSoul30 • 2h ago . Another manager that thinks they have more power over people's lives than they actually do. You hate to see it, but you love to stand your ground.
    via u/HalfSoul30

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