burning the candle
Working without rest
Burning the candle at both ends means depleting yourself by overwork or excess—staying up late while rising early, or combining demanding work with heavy socializing.
The image is of a candle consumed twice as fast, leaving nothing.
She's been burning the candle at both ends trying to finish her thesis while working full-time.
- wickFuel-drawing cord
- flameBurning gas made visible
- waxPliable waterproof substance
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
- overworkToil to exhaustion
midnight · late nights · all nighter · no rest · fatigue · sleepless · draining · ends · melting · flickering · burnout · tired · running on empty · ambition · pushing limits · stretched too thin · hustle · stress
- workjob, 9 to 5, jobs, labor, employee
- energy idiomsfull of beans, running on empty, second wind, fired up, pumped up
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- burnoutburnout, emotional exhaustion, exhaustion, exhausted, overwork
- folk sayingsproverb, adage, maxim, folk saying, old saying
- Risk-Takingplaying with fire, rolling the dice, taking chances, living on the edge, going for broke
burning the candletaking it easy
Deliberately slowing down
recharging · self-preservation · self-care · recuperating · slowing down
burning the candlework-life balance
Managing career and home
moderation · coasting · slowing down · relaxing · unwinding
burn, burning, burned, burnt, burner, burners, candle, candles, candlelight