I've been in IT for 13 years now, currently at a PBC, and before this I've worked in several MNCs – the story is the same everywhere.
I see colleagues and managers who log in at 8 am sharp and stay online, sending mails till 11 pm. They pull off 12‑14‑hour days and get all the visibility.
Since I got married, I've always liked spending evenings and weekends with my spouse – a nice dinner, a walk. In the past two years we had a baby and I love every moment with her. Most evenings I'm playing with my kid and hanging out with my wife, and I can see how senior leaders view someone who is always reachable versus someone who logs off after 7:30 pm.
Lately my manager is single and many senior leaders don't have kids, and they see me as less dedicated than my single peers, which shows up in my performance reviews.
I keep watching people get sent abroad, earn internal recognition and get more exciting projects, and it's disappointing how in India availability often beats productivity, even though a normal 8‑9‑hour day should let everyone enjoy evenings and weekends with friends or family.
You don't have to be glued to the screen all day – just pop online every few hours, fire off a quick mail (takes about 15 minutes). Balance is the key.
All that grinding is pointless if you can't enjoy those cozy, intimate moments with your spouse or the playful time with your child.
Work‑life balance barely exists in India; the work culture is dismal even in GCC or PBC because it's the same crowd in a different building. Just moved back to India and I'm still undecided about staying here!
Family love comes first, above everything.
What's the point? You can grind like them, ignore your family and your own life, climb the corporate ladder, but in the end what does it give you? When a layoff hits, your name will be at the top because you were a high performer, or best case you survive, you're suddenly 45, your kid has grown up and you weren't really part of their life, and you start wondering where those years went.
Bro, you're already spending time with your loved ones. What more do you want? Enjoy it, yaar – you're blessed.
Being constantly available to senior management doesn't pay off much. I was that guy and all I got was more work and a tiny hike. Plus you become a target – colleagues either steal your ideas or dump messy issues on you. The higher you climb, the worse it gets. The best move is to keep a balance and log off after office hours.
If I had a choice I'd pick a simple life every day. Not this stupid rat race where everyone thinks they're a king but for the company they're just rats. They give you fancy titles just to keep the wheel turning. Who even remembers who the manager was 5‑10 years ago? Nobody. So forget them all.
I'd take a lower salary and lighter workload if it means I can spend time with my family and make memories. I'd choose that over any 'employee of the month/year' nonsense.
What makes you happier – time with family or accolades from colleagues? Do what you love, but you'll never please everyone. At the end of the day, coworkers are just rows in a spreadsheet – you never know when a higher‑up will delete them. Family, on the other hand, is real. Enjoy the moments, mate – the job is just for the paycheck.
Have a family and live a full life. Work won't visit you when you're old, but your children will.