An IIM alumnus has sparked a massive online conversation about corporate burnout after walking away from a ₹60 LPA salary with no backup plan. Having spent over a decade climbing the corporate ladder, the mid-30s professional quit his job out of sheer frustration with the "meaninglessness" of the grind. While the first two months of freedom felt liberating, the initial bliss has slowly morphed into an unexpected sense of restlessness and emptiness. On Reddit, the individual shared a candid account of navigating this in-between phase, asking others how they coped after escaping the rat race.The IIM grad’s Reddit post has sparked a discussion about corporate burnout. (Representative image). (Pexels)“What happens when you finally escape the rat race and still feel restless?” the person wrote.Also Read: Amazon techie with IIM degree struggles to find new job despite 10 years of experience: 'Market is so bad'Adding context to their remark, the person added, “I quit my job without another one in hand. Today, a few months later, I'm not sure how I feel about it. For context, I'm in my mid-30s, married, with a young child (~1.5 yrs old boy). I had spent more than 10 years climbing the corporate ladder—both vertical and horizontal shifts. 2 firms in between. For context I am a graduate from one of the 3 older IIMs and was drawing a package of 60 LPA when I quit. Somewhere along the way, I became increasingly frustrated with the meaninglessness of it all.”Why quit?The Reddit user explained, “Around 4 months ago, I decided I'd had enough. No grand plan. No startup idea. No offer waiting. Just a strong urge to get off the treadmill. Put my papers in March'26 and served 2 months' Notice I resigned.”What happened next?The individual said that the first two months “felt amazing”. They recalled sleeping better, taking solo trips and spending more time with their family. Initially, they “felt free”.However, this newfound freedom took an “unexpected turn” and began to turn into “emptiness”.“Still early though but taking my own sweet time. The job search hasn't yielded a breakthrough yet. Exploring a few business plans and meeting folks for sharpening my understanding. Also learning to use AI in a better way. My routine has become less structured. I've put on weight. My son is still very young, my wife is working, and while I have more time than ever, I sometimes feel trapped inside my own thoughts.”The change has left the person with a new thought, “It's strange. For years I believed work was the source of my stress. Now I'm realizing it was also a source of structure, identity, momentum and social interaction. I don't regret quitting. I needed the break. I needed the distance. But I'm now in this weird in-between phase where I'm no longer the person I was in my old job, and I'm not yet the person I'll become next.”How did social media react?An individual wrote, “1.5 yr back, when my company operations stopped suddenly, I was free for 2.5 months. For the initial 1 month, it was a stress-free life, but then responsibility started coming, and I also became unstructured for 2.5 months.”Also Read: IITian’s ‘best corporate advice’ goes viral: ‘Choose a workplace that respects your personal life’Another posted, “Hi. Same boat. Out of the corporate world for the last 3 months. I graduated from one of the top 3 IIMs. 8 years of total work experience, including a well-paying job I left 3 months ago. I didn't have a concrete plan then, but an interest in starting something of my own. In a very similar situation, where I don’t regret quitting but at the same time still feel extremely anxious and restless at times, especially because of the money that I’m losing out on and thinking about how easy/difficult it would be to get back to a well-paying job. I have tried to create a routine for myself that includes working on my business, hobbies, and working out. Things are not rosy when it comes to following the routine, as me being me often overthink and end up doing nothing. The lack of human interaction and the absence of external validation have hit me hard. Somehow, I push myself to follow my workout routine regularly, and that helps me a lot. I have also started reading and writing, which helps me cope whenever I panic. Also, I have kept a timeline for myself. Within the stipulated timeline, if I am not able to figure out the business, I will start searching for jobs.”(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)