An Indian professional in Singapore has started a strong conversation about corporate burnout through an honest Instagram video. His message is connecting with many young professionals dealing with pressure at work.
Aman, a machine learning engineer, spoke openly about lack of sleep, financial stress, and how overwork is often praised. He showed how hustle culture can make unhealthy habits look like success.
The video quickly went viral, with many people saying they relate to it. It questions the idea that being constantly tired means you are successful. Taking to Instagram, Aman, a machine learning engineer, shared how people often confuse constant exhaustion with success.
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Aman defines ‘aesthetic’ of suffering
Aman introduced himself in the video saying, “Hi, I’m a Machine Learning Engineer. I sleep four hours, I have EMIs, I haven’t eaten a proper meal since Thursday. I am on my fourth coffee and it is 11:00 AM. And until very recently I thought this was winning.”
Aman pointed out how modern work culture romanticises struggle. “Humne suffering ko kitna aesthetic bana diya hai (We have made suffering so aesthetic). Bad sleep schedule, ‘Oh, I’m just built different.’ Three EMIs on things you couldn’t afford, ‘Bhai, that’s just adulting.’ Skipping lunch because the deployment is breaking production. The grind never stops because you never let it stop.”
When ‘discipline’ becomes damage
He warned that what many call discipline is actually harmful. “That’s not discipline, that’s just damage with a good designation on LinkedIn,” he said, showing how job titles can hide declining health.
Personal wake-up call
Sharing his own story, Aman said, “I was debugging a production issue at 2:00 AM, running on coffee and ego, genuinely feeling like a hero. Nobody was giving me a medal; my body was just quietly keeping score.” His words show the hidden impact burnout has on people.
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What is the big corporate lie
Aman criticised the system directly calling it a lie saying, “Corporate culture ne ek bahut bada jhooth becha hai. That exhaustion is a proof of ambition, it’s not. It’s just exhaustion with a salary slip.” He ended with a reminder: “Apna khayal rakho (Take care of yourself). Deadlines come back every sprint. You don’t.”
How internet reacted
The video sparked strong reactions online, with users admitting how deeply relatable his experience felt. Comments like “This hit harder than any motivational video” reflect growing awareness around burnout.
Another said, “Corporate burnout is real and people need to talk about it more.” One more added, “LinkedIn makes burnout look glamorous, but it is not.” A user also commented, “Take care of your health before your body forces you to stop.”
As more people talk about it, Aman says success should not harm health. Real success is balance, not burnout.
