Prathima's Miles & Milestones

The Hard Way

I used to believe that loyalty at work always paid off. So I stayed late evening. Stayed awake during the production releases. Obsessively checked analytics & monitored logs. Popped headache pills after hours of staring at the data. Skipped weekends, especially during my early years in my career, and said yes when I should’ve said no.

And then one day, the company I had poured years into replaced me in weeks. They moved on quickly. I didn’t. The guilt of what went wrong? Why wasn’t I warned that if I did anything wrong, always give me sleepless nights? I carried the burnout, the scars, and the realisation that for them it was “business,” but for me it had been life.

That was my wake-up call. And if I could go back and tell my younger self what I know now, here’s what I’d say:

1. Jobs are temporary.
Work is worship was something we learnt before earning a penny in life. But it seems to be one-sided. Everything evolves around work — the business, the market, the target group, and the colleagues. Roles change, Roadmaps pivot, companies shift, industries evolve. 
What doesn’t change? Your health, your sleep cycle, your time, and the people you love. Protect them first.

2. Loyalty is often one-sided.
 I once thought loyalty meant job security. The truth: companies prioritise profits. You need to prioritise yourself. Work on yourself, before you work for others, was my new mantra of well-being & lifestyle.

3. Sacrifice has limits.
 Burning yourself out doesn’t guarantee recognition — or safety. Sometimes, the people who sacrifice the most are the first to be forgotten, unfortunately.

4. Exits are not betrayal.
 I used to feel guilty about leaving roles. As if I owed the company more. I don’t. Walking away isn’t betrayal — it’s self-respect.

5. Balance is survival.
Titles fade, paychecks come and go. But life outside work? That’s the part that actually belongs to you. What you pursue outside of work needs to be kept outside of work, whether that’s being productive, chasing bigger goals, or lazing around. Privacy is power was my new mantra to avoid opinions on the Monday morning question of “How was your weekend?”.

6. Scars are teachers.
Every tough exit, every layoff, every “we’re restructuring” “we’re cost-cutting” conversation left me with lessons I wouldn’t trade. 
Painful, yes — but also powerful.

7. Self-worth must come first.
This is the hardest one: you are never “replaceable” in your own life. 
No company gets to define your value.

Leaving a job isn’t a weakness.
It’s dignity, it’s a balance. It’s choosing yourself.

And if you’ve ever stayed longer than you should have out of guilt, I get it — I’ve been there too. 
But trust me: walking away when you need to is one of the strongest moves you’ll ever make.