HatStack With Erica

Interview due diligence is how you spot the toxicity before you accept the offer.

A few better questions in the interview can save you years of cleanup later.

The interview is not just where they evaluate you. It is where you look for evidence before you hand over your time, energy, and nervous system.

Do you suffer from the “Tupperware syndrome” in your career?

“Tupperware syndrome” is that feeling of living the same day on repeat: work, commute, leftovers, sleep, repeat.

And no, the answer is not just “be more grateful.”

Sometimes the real issue is that your life has started to feel like maintenance mode instead of an actual life.

5 tips if this is hitting a nerve:

1. Audit what is actually draining you.�Is it the job, the manager, the commute, the lack of pay, the lack of growth, or the fact that your whole life revolves around recovering from work? Name the real problem.

2. Stop normalizing survival mode.�Just because everyone around you is exhausted does not mean this is healthy or acceptable. Burnout being common does not make it normal.

3. Build one thing into your week that is just for you.�Not errands. Not chores. Not admin. Something that reminds your nervous system that life is not only about output.

4. Document the work you are doing beyond your title.�A lot of people feel trapped because they have outgrown their role but have no language for the real scope of what they do. Start writing it down.

5. Make a real exit or reset plan.�That could mean boundaries, a promotion conversation, a role pivot, a job search, or building income outside of work. But staying stuck with no plan is what makes the cycle feel endless.

If your life feels like wake up, work, eat from a container, sleep, repeat... that is your sign to pay attention.

Which tip do you need most right now?