I didn’t death through it all. But when I feel like something is missing from a life simulator this is what I’d say.

Doesn’t matter the job, your doing it and experiencing it. However, in your mind, there may be other side goals that you play with ever once in a while. Some fail some turn out to be things that linger on he mind and can even distract from work.

If you can incorporate these desires of “side quest “ you can also have it in a way where the character in the game ( you ) experience an illusion, an imaginary state in the game where your playing in your mind about these goals etc. and then in the game the character SNAPS out of it.

To a boss catching your attention day dreaming to almost causing a wreck in the road of driving.

I think it would make a far more, elaborate game that’s not just a simulator but a relatable experience as you choose which goals you want to pursue ( grinding typically has a goal that festers on the mind ) and then you have these aspects of the game where you have a more fantasy aspect where everything is nice with the freedoms in gameplay that daydreaming themes can cater to.

So you get more then just simulation, you also get imagination.