Years ago, I had a friend named Katherine. Not only was she my best friend cum emotional crutch and personal therapist, but we were also colleagues and roommates.

Mondays through Fridays, we’d go to work and run errands together during the evenings. Weekends were for catching up on horror movies and our daily life dramas as we unloaded our work stress onto one another.

However, over time, I realised that she didn’t rely on me the same way. Half offended, I sought advice from my therapist who introduced me to the concept of compartmentalisation. I was expecting one person to fill every role in my life.

According to my therapist, I needed to diversify my support system: a colleague for work rants, a friend group for hangouts and catching up on our lives, someone I could run errands with, and of course, one friend for deeper emotional support.

Setting these boundaries has made my friendships healthier, allowing me to appreciate each one for what it uniquely offers. That same lesson has shaped how I view work.