Techie shares doctor’s warning: Job stress ‘worse than smoking’, can cause heart issues in 40s– Netizens agree

Work stress has become the silent thief in modern workplaces, creeping in through endless emails, tight deadlines, and a nagging pressure to always be “on” and slowly stealing one’s time and peace of mind. Over time, this leads to sleepless nights, irritability at home, and chronic stress that spikes cortisol levels, leading to burnout, weakened immunity, and even heart issues. This makes work-life balance not only important, but also the need of the hour for many working professionals.Highlighting this, a techie recently shared his ordeal at work, which resonated with many. In a social media post, the techie said that his doctor, whom he has been visiting for five years, warned him of job stress, calling it “worse than smoking”.

Over the years, the techie shared on Blind, an app for workplace discussion, that his work stress increased and so did his medications. His doctor prescribed anxiety medicines, warned him of increased weight, and more recently also expressed his worry that the stress was now “showing up” in his body.“Last week he just looked at my chart and said he thinks my job is showing up in my body and asked if I could afford a break, I should take it,” the techie wrote.The doctor asked him if he experienced any of the symptoms like– racing heartbeat and a constant fear of things going wrong, and surprisingly the techie agreed to all of them. Following this, the doctor not only asked him to relax but also to take a break from work altogether, as the stress was taking a toll on his health. So much so that in the long run, people with chronic stress “end up with heart issues in their 40s”.“I can afford a couple of months off. But do I need a new doctor, or has anyone else ever had a doctor tell them to quit?,” the techie then asked netizens in his post.Surprisingly, the techie’s post not only gained people’s attention but also resonated with them.How netizens reacted to itMany working professionals related to the techie and agreed with his doctor’s advice of taking a break from work stress; after all, there’s more to life than just work.“I was in a similar state. Worst work-life balance. Toxic teammates. Office politics. Pressure from upper management. Most of my health parameters were off… It took me three to four months to start feeling relaxed or normal. After about six months, I began to feel energetic again… I’m telling you this sincerely: no job is worth your physical or mental health,” a person wrote on social media.Another shared a similar incident about their father and how stress took a toll on him. “My dad stayed 45 years at the same company, and they made him work like a mule. He died of a heart attack a week after he retired. His mental health was completely destroyed. His grandkids called him the nervous one,” another netizen shared.Meanwhile, another user shared his personal experience of learning the hard way that life meant much more than work. “I went through a ridiculous amount of stress at work, and because of that, I ended up wrecking my gut and which led to so many issues. I have money, but at 32, I have no health. I didn’t quit, but I absolutely did the bare minimum. I still am. Work is not everything. Nothing is more valuable than you. Money/career mean nothing if you are suffering every single day because of it. You should take that break and forget about meta or join a company which lets you have a life.”Agreeing with the doctor’s honest suggestion, a user said, “Time to find a new job. Your doctor is one of the honest ones.”The need for work-life balanceWork-life balance isn’t a luxury – survival. It’s about drawing boundaries: Logging off on time, saying no without guilt, reclaiming time for family and people who truly matter in life, exercising, and working on a hobby that you truly love. Companies are waking up too, offering flexible hours and mental health days. But it starts with you – prioritise sleep, unplug on weekends, and chat with your manager about workload. A balanced life fuels better work, not less of it. In the end, no one on their deathbed wishes they’d sent one more email. Let’s reclaim our lives, one boundary at a time.