New Delhi: Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys, stirred up a discussion on social media by suggesting that India’s youth should work for 70 hours a week to increase the country’s overall productivity. While some prominent figures like JSW Chairman Sajjan Jindal supported this idea, many others criticized it as inhumane.
Recently, Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy, a cardiologist based in Bengaluru, shared his perspective on this issue on X (formerly Twitter). He highlighted the impact of such grueling work hours on an individual’s life and health. Dr. Krishnamurthy pointed out that such extreme work hours could lead to a generation with various heart-related health issues. He sarcastically said that no wonder why so many young people are having heart attacks in recent times
He explained the breakdown of an average professional’s day when they work for long hours:
24 hours in a day
If you work 6 days a week for 12 hours a day, you are left with only 12 hours.
Out of those 12 hours, you can manage 8 hours for sleep.
This leaves just 4 hours for other essential activities.
24 hours per day (as far as I know)
If you work 6 days a week – 12h per day
Remaining 12h
8 hours sleep
4 hours remain
In a city like Bengaluru
2 hours on road
2 hours remain – Brush, poop, bathe, eat
No time to socialise
No time to talk to family
No time to exercise… https://t.co/dDTKAPfJf8
— Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy (@DrDeepakKrishn1) October 27, 2023
In a city like Bengaluru, where commute times are often lengthy, 2 hours are spent on the road, leaving only 2 hours for daily routines like personal hygiene, meals, and basic chores. This leaves no time for socializing, family interactions, exercise, or leisure activities. Moreover, many companies also expect employees to respond to emails and calls even after regular working hours.
Dr. Krishnamurthy’s post highlighted the significant challenges that come with such demanding work schedules, including the impact on mental and physical health. In the comments section, he called for the government to create more job opportunities to reduce unemployment and enable young people to have a healthier work-life balance.
