Have you ever suddenly realized that you're so busy with work, you don't actually have any time for yourself, or for friends? Or have you ever found yourself working hard on something that literally nobody seems to enjoy with you? Forgetting to actually live our lives can creep up on any one of us. Maybe you’re working multiple jobs, trying to pay rent and save a little, or maybe you're deeply entrenched in hustle culture, busy being a boss babe. Whatever it is that you’re doing, here are 13 subtle signs that you or someone you know may not have much of a life.
1. Talking About Other People
Do you know someone who couldn’t just stop talking badly about other people? According to Redditors, these are the people who can’t mind their own business, maybe because they don't have any interests to manage.
One person said, “My coworkers are like this. The gossip begins even before they've clocked in. I've stopped talking to them about anything except what's necessary for work.”
Another one replied, “I learned not to tell a certain coworker anything too personal, because I knew the moment my back was turned he was somehow going to turn it into gossip. Idk how people like that maintain friendships.”
2. Monitoring People's Computer Time
Monitoring people for how long they have been away from their computers sounded like someone who doesn’t have any other work to do. Redditors said it’s one of the subtle signs that these types of people don’t have a life.
“When we switched from Skype to Teams at work a manager told me they don't like teams because it's harder to track the online status of their employees,” one person shared.
“Get yourself a mouse jiggler. I'm ‘Active' from the moment I wake up until it looks like I've done approximately a day's worth of hours, or sometimes not even that long,” Another one added.
Another commenter replied, “I don't know why employers require a certain number of hours online. If you're getting all your work done, that's the only thing that matters.”
3. Calling the Police on Innocent Kids
One person stated, “This is under the subcategory of ‘Karen’.”
A second person replied, “That happens where I live. People are paranoid about everything these days.”
Finally, the third one added, “It happened here and the cop-calling Karen used the argument that the kids were selling [lemonade] on public property without a permit.”
4. Posting Everything on Social Media
Do you know someone who posts everything that happened to them on social media, including the most personal details? Redditors think it’s a sign that someone doesn’t actually have much of a life.
One person stated, “There's a word for it: vaguebooking.”
Another person shared, “Double points if they're vague posts talking about all their haters. Like girl, you are 29 and work in a fast food joint. You don't have haters.”
Then the third also shared, “I barely ever talk about personal or just real life stuff about me on the internet, why and how do people do this.”
5. Facebook Moms Group
One person shared, “Those Facebook mom groups are the worst! Nothing but drama and bashing on one another. Well at least the one I used to be in.”
Another one replied, “All the humble bragging and my-child -is-better-than-yours comments lol.”
Another added, “Also spreading rumors about teachers, they're the worst.”
6. Being a “Mean Girl”
“It’s surprising how even at work it feels like high school. Same [drama],” one person stated.
While it’s not entirely wrong, bullies are everywhere, and the workplace is no exception.
“Hate this, hate mean people in general but especially girls who are just mean but pass it was jokes or not meaning it or just being cold. And then expect others to just expect it take it and move on,” another person added.
7. The Go-To Employee for Extra Shifts
Whether you’re just a workaholic or need money so badly, being the guy being offered extra hours makes it sound like you may not have a life outside work.
One person said, “I think that just means you need money.”
The second person replied, “Can be a bit of both for some people. I had a colleague who’d turn up hours early and stay long after his shift was finished just because he seemed to have nothing else going on in his life. I didn’t mind him but he was a generally unpopular member of staff so it wasn’t even welcome hanging out.”
“This reminds me of what a taxi driver once told me: the ones that go to the airport do it specifically because of the long wait times to get a passenger; they have nothing else in their lives going on,” the third also shared.
8. Obsessively Posting Relationship Statuses
One person shared, “One of my high school friends told me that she posts things on Instagram and if they don't get more than 20 likes she deletes them. That seemed really sad to me, that people continually check their posts and then delete them if they're not ‘hitting’. I can maybe see it if it's a celebrity or a business account, but this was just someone with a normal job.”
Another one added, “There’s been studies that show people in healthier relationships tend not to post about their relationships on social media very often.”
“I’ve noticed that. Random public post about how much they love the other person or how amazing their partner is—then a few months later it's a post they've broken up. In a healthy relationship they'd be telling their partner these things, rather than others on social media. I wonder if it's cognitive dissonance and they're trying to convince themselves they're in a happy relationship,” the third replied.
9. Making fun of People’s Hobbies
One person said, “‘HA, playing video games?! Can't you do anything useful with your life?!’ Yelled condescendingly by people who more often than not spend a majority of their evenings watching television.”
Another one shared, “I hate that. People often make fun of my collection of tax returns, but thanks to the internet I have found many others who share this hobby. It is a real thing.”
Well, whatever it is, making fun of someone’s hobby shouldn’t be encouraged.
10. Bragging about Working Long Hours
In a world where society praises people who work long hours as something positive, it could also say things in your personal life.
One person stated, “My philosophy is that if your job is personally enriching or you're working for yourself or something like that, I love it. But if you're salaried and working extra hours just to impress your boss while the only one who gets more dough is him? Ehh.”
Another user replied, “I work in education so most people don’t get OT pay because you have to grade and prep on weekends. But I always tell new teachers, it’s not a flex to say you had to stay up until 4 prepping or you used all weekend to grade. A well-rested, loving-their-own-life teacher is a good teacher.”
A third commenter added, “I used to do this. I had one job full time working the night shift and got a second job part time for fun at Starbucks. I’d do anywhere from 45-70 hours a week total and did 24 hour work days a couple times. I really did have no life then, and I was depressed; I worked so much to avoid feeling anything. It was a sad time in my life.”
11. You Only Talk about your Children
“Tbh, if you work full time and you’re a parent, you probably don’t have much time to do much else outside of that. That is your life,” one person said.
“It's possible to have a personality outside of being a parent,” the second one replied.
“This is me and it's so sad. I'm too tired to even play computer games by the end of the day. Going grocery shopping without kids is a treat now. I dread having to socialize because I have nothing interesting to add to any conversation anymore,” the third added.
12. Trying to look Tough on Internet
Another indication is trying to look tough on the internet and arguing with everybody about how tough you are.
One person quoted jokingly, “‘I insulted the other guy and made him look bad, I must've won the argument!’”
Another user added, “Yeah this one guy was commenting on my friends insta gym progress pic (friend is a little smaller but working on it). He said he could lift my friend WHILE he was holding weights. I just saw red. You can say whatever you want about me, but if you TALK about my FRIENDS I just see red.”
13. Constantly Wondering about Others
People’s lives aren’t yours to worry about unless that person is close to you and wants the best for them. However, if you’re constantly tracking everyone’s lives and judging them about it, Redditors said that it might be time to get a life.
One person shared, “Very many people have been bothered by the fact that I don’t drink or smoke. Not sure why it riles people up so much.”
Another Redditor added, “Worrying about what other people might be thinking.”
A third also shared, “Omg one of my close friend does this all the time I really like everything about her except this and I hate listening her judge about others all the time.”
Original Reddit thread here.
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