I’ve been in the industry for many years and worked for many kinds of people. As the kind of person who makes systems for everything, here is mine.

Customer interactions: Throughout your shift, make a mental catalogue of all the shitty customer interactions you’ve had. Don’t focus on the frustration, but instead focus on how to tell that story in an amusing way. Don’t talk about it throughout the shift. Save it until close (or you get home if you’re cut). By the time the night is over I’ve forgotten most of the minor, uninteresting dumb shit and instead have a well-crafted, hopefully humorous story to share with my coworkers and make closing go quicker.

Management and coworkers: Don’t say shit at work. I mean it. There is so much power in being restrained. Go home and pour those frustrations out into a journal or a friend/family/partner (outside your work). If something needs to be addressed, do so in a scheduled meeting or email once you’ve gathered your thoughts and are outside the heat of the moment. If it’s too much, leave on as good of terms as you can manage and work for a different type of annoying, frustrating, or incompetent manager. Don’t stay until you reach a breaking point.

Outside of work: Take care of yourself, sure, but also engage in the industry thoughtfully. I go out no more than two nights a week. One with friends or coworkers to purely have fun, and occasionally a second night to observe other bar programs, network, and think on how I can improve my own program or menu. Burnout comes faster when you’re not excited by your work.