A heartfelt social media post by Nitu Mohanka, a chartered accountant turned mindset coach, has reignited discussions around the detrimental impact of hustle culture on personal lives. Mohanka reflected on her years of prioritising work over family, revealing how relentless 14-hour workdays and late-night emails caused her to miss significant milestones, including her daughter’s first steps.
The catalyst for her realisation came in the form of a poignant drawing by her five-year-old daughter. “It was a family picture, but I wasn’t in it,” Mohanka wrote. “When her teacher asked why, she said, ‘Mama is always at the office.’” The drawing now sits on her desk, a constant reminder of the personal costs of prioritising work above all else.
“Hustle culture is seductive, but the promise of ‘grind now, enjoy later’ rarely delivers,” Mohanka stated in her post, adding that measuring success in hours rather than impact comes at a steep price. She argued that productivity significantly declines after 55 hours of work per week, with excessive hours leading to fatigue, diminished creativity, and strained relationships.
Mohanka’s reflections came amid public backlash against remarks made by L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who advocated for a 90-hour workweek. In an undated video from an internal meeting that has gone viral, Subrahmanyan expressed regret about not being able to make employees work on Sundays.
“I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays,” he said. The chairman also questioned the value of spending time at home, remarking, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working.”
The comments, widely criticised as dismissive and out of touch, drew sharp reactions online. Critics questioned the fairness of such expectations, particularly for employees without the financial security or support systems available to top executives. “Not everyone can afford the same lifestyle or privileges as those at the top,” one social media user noted.
Subrahmanyan’s remarks followed similar controversy stirred by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who recently suggested a 70-hour workweek as a means to boost India’s productivity. Both comments have reignited a broader debate on work-life balance in India, with many arguing that such expectations ignore the realities of mental health and personal commitments.
Mohanka’s post resonated with professionals across industries, with many sharing their own struggles with long work hours. One of her reflections summed up the sentiment: “Measuring success in hours instead of impact comes at a steep price.”
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