Harvard graduate leaves 9-to-5 job after a decade, reveals why she chose freedom over a regular salary

A Harvard graduate has caught social media’s attention after sharing her decision to step away from a traditional 9-to-5 job following nearly a decade of professional experience. Charmie Kapoor, who has worked with companies including Razorpay and Microsoft, opened up about her decision and what life has been like since leaving the conventional workplace.

Kapoor explained that when she had taken a few months away from work in the past, she always knew she would eventually return. This time, however, she felt differently.

‘The Freedom Was Liberating’

Kapoor said she made the decision a few months ago after realising that she had enough savings, along with the privilege, to step away from a regular job.


While getting used to not receiving a monthly salary notification was challenging, she found the freedom of no longer having her life controlled by a work calendar refreshing.

"I spent the first few weeks waking up and figuring out on the go how I wanted to spend my time. I also started trying things I never got to do with a job, just to see," said Kapoor.

What She Realised After Leaving Work

Kapoor said stepping away from employment made her notice how much time and energy went into things associated with simply having a job.

"What surprised me is how much of a job I never noticed I was doing just to get through a job. Commute, meetings, the gap between one thing and the next that you fill without thinking," said Kapoor.

She added that these routines often become so normal that people barely notice them while they are part of the daily schedule.

"You don't feel that structure while you're in it. And once it's gone, you start asking questions about things you never used to think twice about."

Kapoor Turns Down Startup Opportunity

Despite having recently stepped away from conventional employment, Kapoor said she was not rushing to return to a traditional work setup.

She revealed that she had recently turned down an opportunity at a major startup. According to Kapoor, it was the kind of opportunity she would have eagerly accepted a few years ago, but this time, it failed to spark the same excitement.

‘Existentialism Was Giving Me Happiness’

Kapoor described her current phase of life in philosophical terms, saying that existentialism was bringing her happiness while absurdism was giving her a sense of peace.

"As per Kapoor, she was in a place where existentialism was giving her happiness, while absurdism provided peace. "I still don't know how much of one I'll have to give up to keep the other. For now, I'm off to my 5 pm pickleball game," she said.

Her post resonated with several social media users, with one person commenting, "Welcome to the club. Once you taste freedom, you can't go back," said one user.

Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on X. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.