Directors CornerDirector’s Corner August: Overworking and Asian American Identity: A Journey of Self-Discovery

What is your relationship with work? For many years, I pondered this question in my pursuits of mental health and personal and professional growth. My parents met in a toy factory in New Jersey, and their ideas about work were very specific: “Do it to survive or perish.” Such a departure from my colleagues in my undergraduate program where folx were “following their dreams.” I was and still sorta but not really bitter!  

Unearthing the core beliefs and histories intimately connected to my racial, class, ethnic, and professional identities was a crucial part of my mental wellness process. Each of these parts of me carries a rich history—immigration, labor legislation, exploitation, indebtedness, fear, anxiety, and honor. These histories and core beliefs often led to impaired thinking patterns: “If I get this promotion, I’ll finally be worthy,” or “If I work more, I can be valuable; perhaps I can belong.” People sometimes assign magical qualities to work: working more will make my family respect me more or this extra hour will make me more valuable and important to everyone.  This kind of thinking inevitably led to unmanageability (for me), driving me aboard the hot mess express train to poor mental health.

Part of my mental health journey involved changing (or evolving) these core beliefs attached to my professional self, which in turn transformed my thinking and behavior. Taking smaller steps to understand the birthplace of these beliefs, historical enactments of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) labor, my family’s history of scarcity, and the messages regarding work, status, and belonging were pivotal. This exploration allowed me to navigate my place in the mental health industry as an Asian American person more effectively.

The history of AANHPI labor in the United States is marked by resilience and hardship. From the early days of immigration, when many Asians came to America seeking better opportunities, to the enactment of discriminatory laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the path has been fraught with challenges and continues to be challenging. These experiences have profoundly influenced the collective psyche of the community, embedding deep-seated beliefs about the value of hard work and the pursuit of success and how that may tie into our self-worth.

Stories of struggle and perseverance were familiar in my family. My ancestors, who faced economic scarcity and societal marginalization, passed down the message that hard work was the key to overcoming adversity. This belief, while instilling a solid work ethic, also created internal pressure to prove my worth continuously through professional achievements. When was enough…enough? 

Belonging to the mental health industry as an Asian American person presents its own set of challenges. The industry, like many others, has not been immune to systemic biases and cultural misunderstandings. For Asian Americans, navigating this space requires not only professional competence but also a deep understanding of one’s cultural identity and the ability to advocate for oneself and push back on mainstream ideologies that exclude some of the unique cultural experiences of our communities. 

All this to say, work. Careers and labor (all different types of labor) are complicated matters. The struggle is multifaceted, different across class backgrounds, professions, and varying citizenship statuses in our communities.  Your stressors and stories about how you engage in the labor market and work deserve spaces to explore and discuss the complexities of identity, pay equity, and sense of self.  In mental health spaces and communities, we redefine this and more.   Get connected today whether your work is in the home, in a profession, factory, hospital…wherever! I want to remind you that you are terrific and to consider this relationship with work…a relationship that needs to be tended to, understood, and cared for.