How can 70hrs work week affect several aspects of life?

Image Source - dr. tc north

Recently, N. R. Narayana Murthy requested/suggested that youngsters should work for 70hrs a week. Undoubtedly, this las led to debate among the citizens who favours the statement and also contending against it. Hustle culture is already on rise and this adds fuel to the fire, glorifying burn-out.

Viewing this statement in respect to working professionally for a company, especially a job, has a lot of side effects. New lifestyle in urban areas and top-tier cities has already disposed younger population to various health concerns, and working for so long would only accelerate the possibilities of it. No doubt why people in their 30s and 40s are suffering cardiac arrest and pass away at such a young age. Diabetes, PCOS, stroke and other cardiac problems are on the rise too. Burn out is a badge of honour and taking rest is looked down upon in workaholic culture. This leads to extreme exhaustion and fatigue. Many won't be left to replenish themselves with healthy food and exercise when work and commute (especially in cities of Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi) takes up all their time, making health concerns worse. I used to know someone who almost died due to overwork at the age of 15.

This workaholic culture has a negative affect on personal and social lives too. Many don't get to spend time with their family, partners and friends. Personal relationships take a back seat and relationships get dwindled and die a natural death. Taking example of Arjun from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, he loses out on his relationship after prioritising work. Families and friends would stick around with you, your work won't. In my opinion, workplace is not a family. One can be fired any moment or laid-off without any warning. This was seen during COVID pandemic when long time employees were laid off without warnings and were not able to access into their workplace accounts. 

When many are advocating for paid paternal leaves so that father can get time to spend time with their new-borns too, this workaholic culture stomps on it. Many men prioritize work or have to do it for job security, eventually getting distanced from their wives (or girlfriends) and kids. Careers like doctors (specifically surgeon in field like cardiology and gynaecology where there are a lot of emergency cases), IAS can be very demanding, because of which many doctors marry within their profession who can understand their schedule. But still, it won't work for people from many other professions and even the doctors may miss their partners.

When companies demand their employees to spend all their time working, and coupled with rising reservation, many youngsters (who can afford it) move abroad for better work opportunities and quality of life. This further accelerates the brain drain India is experiencing. Paris has a exemplary work-life balance and a few other cities/countries are adopting it too.

Lets take example of Japan, a country of modern slavery. However technologically advanced it is, the citizens are shackled with mental slavery following the rebuilding of country post bombings. This has affected the personal lives of the citizens and as we can see, the birth rate in Japan is going all time low. Many women refuse to marry, a result of cultural and workaholicism, and have kids (leading to low birth rate) and towns are being abandoned due to less population and migration. Remember the principal from Shinchan, who was principal, driver and did other jobs too. I am not sure but I've heard somewhere that tbe government is trying to make policies for its citizens to relax and take holidays.

As I mentioned before, many youngsters do not subscribe to the idea that workplace is family. One can be fired any moment, are underpaid for their work and extratime, and may not have a healthy work environment. No one wants to commit to such a relationship where one is taken for granted, and this applies to professional relationships too. An often repeated joke is 'boss is already divorced and will end up creating divorce of his employees too.' And honestly, no matter the extravagent salary, it cannot cover up the loneliness, slavery and breaking up of relationships one would possibly experience with such work hours.

Its understandable when a founder is working long hours to build their company and make it reach great heights, especially in early years. Once a company is established, the employees are not responsible to grow your company by giving up their time and sacrificing their life for it, for which they won't be paid enough anyways.

When we include other works too, like chores, parenting, job and maybe even a side-hustle, a lot of people already work more than 70hrs a week. This especially includes women, on whom the comparatively more responsibilities of parenting and chores are thrust upon by their families and society.

The blogpost is not to harshly critique N. R. Narayana Murthy. People in 1950s-2000s had to work extra hard for their survival, especially with less options in professions. The competition was high in the selected tried-and-tested professions like engineering, medical, law, CA, etc. But times have changed now, where focus have changed from hard work to smart work. Not to diss hard work cause it's just as important, but one needs to know where to take a pause and don the hat of smart work.

In conclusion, yes, hard work is important and I know where his statement comes from, but it is toxic in the current work environment. Work is important, so does one's personal and social life and hobbies. In the end, health is wealth.

Image Source- RVCJ Media

10 Jan 2025:

Subrahmanyan, Chairman of L & T, commented about 90 hours work week. In the past, few other entrepreneurs like Bhavish Aggarwal (CEO of Ola Cabs), Aman Gupta (Founder of boAt), also supported Murthy's statement. Now, another Indian comes up with insane, inherently selfish and problematic statement. Some Indian bosses like these have made the life hell for their employees, who are paid in peanuts. No doubt so many Indians wish to shift abroad to have better quality of life and work under an empathetic and rational boss. And then, these "leaders" will complain about brain drain in India.