hidden image

Ninety-Hour Work Week!

Robert Clements Robert Clements
13 Jan 2025

"How long can you stare at your wife?" asked L&T chairman Subrahmanyan, and suggested a 90-hour work week. "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier, because I work on Sundays,"

In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life. We're constantly connected to our devices, bombarded with notifications, and pressured to meet deadlines. As a result, many of us are feeling stressed, anxious, and burnt out.

Most of this stress lies in the fact that we're often encouraged to push ourselves to the limit, to be constantly productive, and to never take a break. In fact, another Indian billionaire and Chairman of Infosys has advocated a working lifestyle, of 14 hours a day!

However, these approaches are not only unsustainable but also unhealthy. When we don't take the time to relax, we can experience burnout, decreased motivation, and a weakened immune system. Moreover, chronic stress can lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders.

People actually need more relief now than ever before. We are living more stressful, faster-paced lives than ever. An international study was conducted to measure the speed of life. Researchers secretly timed how fast thousands of pedestrians walked in London, Madrid, Singapore and New York. According to this study, we walk about 10% faster now than twenty years ago, when a similar experiment was conducted. The biggest changes are found in and around Asia, where the pace of life in China increased by over 20% and where Singapore showed a 30% increase.

But instead of getting bothered by the advice of these two leaders, let's realise it's time to learn to chill out.

Chilling is pretty good advice. Especially if the word "chill" is used as an acronym, which I love using in both my teaching and speaking:

C—Calm down. When you're anxious, frenzied or pressed, stop. Take a deep breath and ask yourself, "Why?"

H—Hold back. Set a reasonable pace. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to last, pace yourself and take time to rest.

I—Indulge your desire for fun. Do something with plenty of fun every day and try to put fun in your usual activities.

L—Learn how to just be. Don't measure your life by what you accomplish, but by who you are. Be present. Be attentive. Just be.

L—Let it go. You are not responsible for everything and everybody. In the immortal words of poet Robert Browning, "God's in His Heaven; all's right with the world."

We all want to emulate successful people, but if you need to enjoy life, which also means your wife, then "Chill" is a good word to remember…!

Recent Posts

Our Prime Minister Modi is considered a "Vishwaguru" and a world leader. Why? Modi and his party won a thumping victory and formed the government for the third time. Many world leaders seek Modi's gui
apicture M L Satyan
27 Jan 2025
Labelling dissent as "anti-national" is against democracy and a clear indicator of unaccountability. True anti-national acts are those that weaponise communalism, violate constitutional principles, an
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
27 Jan 2025
The American people got a taste of Trump's plainly illegal actions on his first day in office. He signed a flurry of executive orders overriding orders issued by the outgoing Biden administration. On
apicture Joseph Maliakan
27 Jan 2025
The 47th US President's imperialistic policies and tendencies and disregard for constitutional norms are akin to authoritarian figures of yore. From threatening global agreements to ending birthright
apicture A. J. Philip
27 Jan 2025
To preserve India's democratic and republican nature, citizens must remain vigilant, engaged, and committed to constitutional values. Strengthening institutions, safeguarding minority rights, promotin
apicture Dr. Pauly Mathew Muricken
27 Jan 2025
Dr Rajendra Prasad emphasised that democracy depends on integrity, compromise, and capable leadership, not just the Constitution. Post-independence, socio-political failures, consumerism, ecological i
apicture Harasankar Adhikari
27 Jan 2025
Indian trade unions are facing declining membership, fragmented representation, and weakened bargaining power arising from economic shifts and widespread changes. The Industrial Relations Code 2020 ha
apicture Jose Vattakuzhy
27 Jan 2025
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's claim that Pranab Mukherjee endorsed 'ghar wapsi' has sparked controversy. It has not only raised religious but also constitutional, socio-economic and political concerns.
apicture Dr. John Singarayar
27 Jan 2025
Life is hardly respectable if it has no posers, tasks and labours. Again, life is hardly respectable if it has no joy, sleep, or love. The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundin
apicture Raja Purushothaman
27 Jan 2025
Even as selfish decisions are thrown out, it also whispers into our ears to reflect on why such a law was made. It whispers to each of us to think deeper than our present situation and realise the Con
apicture Robert Clements
27 Jan 2025