Japan: Free Booze for Quitters

The reality is, work is hard. 

You’re burnt out, your boss is a nightmare, you coworkers behave like toddlers… long story short, you’re considering quitting! 

While I am no expert, I would advise talking to someone about this. Don’t have anyone to talk to? Well then here’s an idea: 

• Book a plane ticket to Japan and talk to someone there! (Because that is a VERY rational suggestion!)

In Japan, a brand-new type of bar has opened that has been specifically set up for the broken, the beaten, and the damned! OK, maybe that’s a little dramatic.  

But the bar has been set up for people who are on the fence about quitting their jobs… and, the best part, the drinks are free!!! 

The idea behind the bar is as follows: people get invited to come to the bar, talk about what is going on at their jobs (I suppose mostly negative stuff), and from there they can decide what they want to do with their jobs. All without the pressure of having a big bar tab at the end of the night! 

But its more than just free booze and moaning… the staff that work at the bar are trained to listen without judgment, and to create a space where people can raise opinions and concerns that are often stigmatized, especially in a work culture like the Japanese have. 

I’d say it’s necessary because if we’re honest with ourselves, the work culture can sometimes take it OUT of people… Especially when things go above what their actual work responsibilities are. Common issues in the work place can be:

• Long hours 
• Intense expectations 
• Rigid hierarchies 
• Work-life balance is a joke 
• Mental Health… WHAT mental health!?

The idea behind the bar is to remove costs, and offer a friendly and supportive environment, where people can feel safe by talking about what bothers them in their work life, and to hopefully do something about it, even if it means they have to start over. 

I think it’s a great idea! Of course, everything done responsibly and in moderation, but the idea of having a place to vent your frustrations is so important! The lack of a bar tab at the end of the night is just an added bonus!!!