14-Hour Workdays, Emails at 3 AM”: CA Reveals Personal Milestones Missed for Career
14-Hour Workdays, Emails at 3 AM": CA Reveals Personal Milestones Missed for Career
In today’s fast-paced work environment, many professionals find themselves caught in an endless cycle of long hours and relentless demands. Recently, one dedicated Chartered Accountant (CA) opened up about the significant personal milestones she sacrificed in pursuit of her career. This conversation gained momentum after L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan made a controversial statement, “How long can you stare at your wife?” while promoting a 90-hour work week, igniting discussions about work-life balance.
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The CA joined this dialogue by sharing her experiences with hustle culture, which caused her to miss important moments in her personal life. She recounted a pivotal moment when her 5-year-old child drew a family picture without her, poignantly explaining that she was always at work.
“Ten years ago, I was that person. I wore my 14-hour workdays like a badge of honor, responding to emails at 3 AM and missing my daughter’s first steps because ‘the client meeting couldn’t wait.’ What finally made me stop was a drawing from my 5-year-old—a family picture where I wasn’t included. When her teacher asked why, she said, ‘Mama is always at the office,’” Nitu Mohanka shared.
“Hustle culture is seductive. But the promise of ‘grind now, enjoy later’ rarely delivers,” she added. In the following lines, she expressed how working long hours leaves one fatigued and diminishes one’s skills.
What did social media have to say?
Since the video was shared, it has gained numerous likes and views, leading to a range of comments from viewers.
One person remarked, “I completely agree with everything said here… I’ve also missed many moments with my family.” Another complimented, “You expressed it so beautifully.” A third user inquired, “What was your job that required 14-15 hours a day?” Mohanka responded, “I’m a Chartered Accountant, and my job involved MIS, annual budgeting, reporting, and similar tasks. It was extremely demanding—there were times I worked for 36 hours straight!” A fourth commenter noted, “That’s absolutely true! After working for 8 hours a day, decision-making skills and productivity decline significantly.”
The remarks made by the chairman of L&T have sparked a wave of responses on social media, with opinions sharply divided. For example, a former Larsen & Toubro employee supported Subrahmanyan’s suggestion for a 90-hour work week. However, industrialist Anand Mahindra responded with his usual wit, offering a counterpoint.
