She treated job as her ‘entire life’ but still got fired: Woman shares 5 mistakes that would have helped if known earlier

In a time when long hours, constant deadlines and always being available online has almost become normal in many jobs, conversations around burnout and work-life balance keep coming up again and again. Adding to that, a Bengaluru woman’s recent post has struck a chord with many after she shared how losing her job made her rethink the way she had been living.

The woman, identified as Nidhi, took to Instagram and spoke about how her work had slowly taken over everything else in her life. In the video, she said, "I got fired from my job, and the things I realized after are so scary! I treated my job as my entire life. I stopped taking care of myself, I stopped socializing, I stopped going out, I stopped working out, I stopped eating healthy food, I stopped meeting my friends."

Nidhi added, "My entire world revolved around meetings, deadlines, and just stress. I used to go to my office, I used to come home, and then work again. I bet I'm not the only one living like this. So the question is do we really want to live a life like this?"


The clip was posted with a caption suggesting that such realisations often come only after something major happens, and in her case, it was losing her job.

Mistake 1: Letting work become your whole identity

From what she described, one of the biggest issues was how her job became the center of everything. There was barely any separation left between work and personal time. Gradually, other parts of life just faded out without her noticing much in the moment.

Mistake 2: Ignoring health and daily habits

She admitted that she stopped working out and eating healthy food. This kind of thing often starts small, like skipping a few days, but then it turns into a routine where health is no longer a priority.

Mistake 3: Losing connection with people

Another point she raised was about not meeting friends or going out anymore. Social interactions reduced over time, and work ended up replacing almost every other activity in her day.

Mistake 4: Living in constant stress

Her routine, as she explained, was mostly about going to the office, coming back, and continuing to work. There was no proper break or pause, which meant stress just kept building without any release.

Mistake 5: Not questioning the lifestyle sooner

What stands out is that she only started questioning everything after she lost her job. The question she raised — whether people actually want to live like this — is something that many viewers related to instantly.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nidhi VG (@quack_attack14)

Internet reacts, many say it feels too real

After the video was shared, it quickly gained attention, with many users saying they could relate. One person wrote, "This is exactly how most of us are living, just running on autopilot." Another commented, "Losing a job is tough, but sometimes it opens your eyes to what really matters." A third added, "I realised the same during the pandemic, work is not everything."

Some users also pointed towards the need to maintain balance. One said, "Health and happiness should never come after deadlines." Another wrote, "Corporate life can consume you if you let it."

There were also deeper reflections from a few. One user shared, “Same thing happened to me. I have observed, realised and started learning that true living comes through detachment. We must cultivate a steady mind that is not bound by a craving for relationships, wealth, or physical existence. By remaining indifferent to the highs and lows of emotions and situations, we achieve a profound stillness. In this state of being, nothing has the power to cause us pain.”

What this situation highlights is something many people are quietly dealing with. Work often becomes the main focus without people realising how much they are giving up in the process. Some users also mentioned that younger professionals today are entering the workforce with more awareness about boundaries, while others feel it takes an experience like this to really understand the importance of balance.