Every weekday morning at 8:30am on the dot, Megha* sits at the small table in her living room, the oppressive quiet of the flat swelling as she opens up her laptop and waits for a task from her boss to hit her inbox. Once she has completed it—some take hours, others just 30 minutes—she waits again. Some days, another task never arrives, so she scrolls through LinkedIn, looking for suitable vacancies. Having once been a conscientious worker, Megha has now, in her own words, ‘given up’.
Earlier this year, the 28-year-old agency manager landed her dream job. For Megha, the first couple of months were exciting and challenging. “I was creating content, sending newsletters to more than 3,00,000 people, doing interviews, and creating campaigns for some of the biggest brands—it was great,” she says. Then, a new staff member joined the company and took over most of Megha’s responsibilities, leaving her to pick up more basic tasks. Despite having over eight years of experience and working hard to climb the ladder, Megha says she is now no more than a glorified assistant. “I don’t get any feedback; I am not involved in any projects. It is almost like they have just decided not to bother with me. I dread starting work. It’s soul-destroying,” she says. “But I hate giving up... I want to be thriving, I know that I am capable of so much more than this.”
So why hasn’t Megha joined in with the Great Resignation and the record number of employees throwing in the towel over the past two years? “I am not in a position to quit. I have a loan to repay. I need a similar salary to be able to do that.” As the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months have yawned on, Megha has started to lower her standards when it comes to the roles she applies for. She just has to get out.
This story is from the January - February 2023 edition of Cosmopolitan India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January - February 2023 edition of Cosmopolitan India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Is Making Yourself Sad The Ultimate Happiness Hack?
Dopamine fasts are being touted as the cure to bad habits and low mood...But does the science really stack up? Morgan Fargo puts it to the test.
Do Women Make Better Leaders Than Men?
Psychologists, women entrepreneurs, their male counterparts, and a human resources expert weigh in.
Living the dream
From planning their start-up and building the right team to successfully marketing their brand, these entrepreneurs will teach you a thing or two about taking care of a business.
The new masculine
Gender is a construct; but one that invariably factors into attraction. In a 2024 world where the scope of gender is more multifarious than ever, what does it mean to be 'masculine'?
How to make the most of the Meta-Universe...and thrive unscathed in it
Natasha Jog-Head, Public Policy, Instagram, Facebook India (Meta)-lists the company's safety measures, and tells us how to make our favourite apps work in our favour.
I was sober, now I'm not.I feel...weird about it?
After more than a year of being teetotal, Jennifer Savin found herself with a glass of red. Her emotions have been *complex*
VEDANG RAINA WIRED TO WIN
Actor Vedang Raina opens up to Cosmo India Editor Pratishtha Dobhal about his love for music and cinema, his passion for the arts, and why he chooses to live in the moment.
What's dating like in 2024?
Here's some swipe right moments that caught Cosmo intern Serchen Chokyi off guard.
Pixels to pearls
Is 3D printing the next big thing in the jewellery landscape?
One jacket, four ways
Cosmo India challenged top-tier celebrity stylists to turn muse for us as they showcased their unmatched personal style with one common designer ensemble. Class in session, people!