Daenerys Understands Your Work Week Struggle

When you're busying conquering the Seven Kingdoms or taming dragons during the work week, it's hard not to feel worn out. If we take a page out of the Daenerys Targaryen playbook, then fighting those battles becomes a whole lot easier. The Khaleesi is taking back the Iron Throne in the penultimate season and her return to Westeros will but nothing short of earth-shaking and yes, very, very glorious. Daenerys has been through so many ups and downs on Game of Thrones, that seeing her remain at the top of the food chain as the show rolls into its seventh season makes her all the more empowering and relatable.

Relatable is definitely the key word when it comes to Daenerys because her struggles are actually so real. If there's one character who understands your work week struggles, its Daenerys. Combatting condescending bosses? She's done it. Trying to balance a relationship with work demands? Daenerys has you covered. Are you always on the go, rarely finding a moment to stop and indulge in the simple pleasures of life? The leader of the Dothraki horde knows a thing or two about that.

Here are some of the key times when Daenerys' journey thus far on Game of Thrones was so relatable that when you read them, they will ring true when you find yourself waging war against the work week slog.

1. Dealing With Men In The Workplace Is...Interesting

If you find yourself having to dodge unwieldy behavior from male co-workers or bosses, you know how Daenerys feels. While she has chosen to deal with the men who bother or condescend to her by letting them get vats of molten gold poured over their heads or burning them alive in their homes, unfortunately that's not an option for us in the workplace.

2. Maintaining Workplace Friendships Is So Tricky

It's important to have an ally in the workplace because nobody understands the pressures of your job like someone who is in the trenches with you. On the other hand, if a workplace friendship gets tense or turns sour, it risks affecting your work environment. While Daenerys has had to create friendships and let some go, she's always tried to keep her friends close to her because they often end up being the best political allies, too.

3. When It Feels Like Everything Is Going Up In Flames (Literally)

Are you constantly putting out minor crises at work? Yeah, your fave Targaryen knows a thing or two about that. Try putting out a fire that your dragons accidentally started or fixing the missteps of your advisors. Settling everything back to the status quo is no easy feat and the fatigue is so very real.

4. When All You Want To Do Is Chill

Don't you just wish you had an extra 10 minutes at lunch? Or that you could carry on that great water cooler recap of Westworld with your work bestie before your boss is bearing down on you? It seems like finding a moment to chill out is nonexistent during a hectic work week. Daenerys literally never gets to chill out; I think we've all seem just how moody she can get when all work and no play make the Mother of Dragons one fiery woman.

5. When The Workplace Frustration Is Real

Hitting a brick wall is so common during the work week. You've put in all the time and effort, only to face a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. In those moments, it's natural to want to give in to frustration. Imagine how many times Daenerys has gotten frustrated at those forces directly opposing her. Or did you think beating an entire army or destroying evil nobility comes without its frustrations?

6. Second-Guessing Yourself At Work Happens & It's Tough

Face it: you are prone to second-guessing your talents in the workplace. This mini-breakdown can strike at any time, in any place, for any reason. Daenerys feels your pain, friend. No amount of preparation could have helped her when she got married at a young age and began her quest to world domination. Second-guessing herself has frequently been a bump in Daenerys' path.

7. Competition Is Necessary But Also The Worst

Who is actually happy about competing against people you know and care about — even just the tiniest bit —in order to ascend to the top of the professional ladder? Daenerys may have embraced spilling a little blood in order to prevail (note: please don't actually hurt people in real life, though), but it's not like it came easily. Competition is always present in the workplace, which means it's anything but fun.

8. Working On A Team Is No Easy Feat

Sure, unity towards a common goal is nice in theory, but does working on a team every really go smoothly and without problems? Daenerys has had to grease some big, big gears in order to get people to align with her and give her their armies, time, and talents in order for her to conquer King's Landing and reclaim the Iron Throne. It's never fun trying to balance everyone's needs and it definitely adds to the work week stress.

9. Balancing Personal Relationships With Work Is Ridiculous

Any hard-working guy or gal knows, just like Daenerys, that balancing the personal and professional is ridiculous AF. Romance? What's that? Sunday brunch? Sorry, these spreadsheets aren't going to do themselves. Daenerys may have found time to cozy up to Daario, but in the end, even she had to forgo a lasting relationship because the Iron Throne was calling her name.

10. Finding Time To Indulge In Self-Care Is Tough

Daenerys knows damn well that finding time to indulge in a glorious repose is few and far between. Similarly, your job can often ending up feeling like a 24/7 marathon when you're constantly getting e-mails, Gchats, and texts from work colleagues about the latest to-do.

11. But You Should Always Be Confident In Your Skills

Despite all of the bumps in the road back to King's Landing, Daenerys never lets herself wallow in her failures. Similarly, at the end of every work week, as you sink into your sofa or at a table surrounded by friends in your fave Friday hangout, it's important to remember why you're the best at what you do and be sure to never let that confidence fade.

If there's one major takeaway from these Daenerys moments, it's this: with all the craziness the work week offers, there's always a bit of joy to be be found. Daenerys is poised to conquer Westeros in Season 7, which means you have no excuse to not conquer work when the going gets tough.

Images: Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO; Giphy (11)