It was supposed to be a night of celebration, dal makhani, tandoori rotis, and a quiet dinner with his girlfriend to toast his promotion. But for one Indian techie, it turned into another night of cold food, disappointed silence, and emotional exhaustion. His crime? Responding to a Slack message at 7:30 PM: “Can you just fix this by EOD? It’s critical for the Mumbai client.”
By the time he pinged “Done” at 1:12 AM, six cups of coffee and countless lines of code later, his girlfriend was asleep, the house was dark, and the moment was lost. What remained was guilt, burnout, and a sobering realisation that many in India’s tech industry know all too well: urgent never really means urgent, but it always costs something.
His anonymous post struck a nerve online, triggering a wave of reactions from others in the trenches of Indian corporate life. One user offered a “hack” to escape such late-night requests: pretend there’s a medical emergency. Others shared their exhaustion with companies that expect employees to act like they don’t have homes or lives after hours.
Netizens react
A comment read, “Nothing is more important than family, dude… Just say you need to take someone to the hospital. That’s what I do,” one user confessed. Another shared, “Sad reality of Indian workplaces. We’re just cheap labour where personal lives don’t matter.”
But not everyone is playing along. Some are fighting back, drawing firm lines around their work hours. One said, “Why do I need to give them a reason post-working hours? Why justify having a life?” one commenter asked. “Urgent and important are not the same thing.” Another echoed the same sentiment and shared. “My mentor told me: Spend your time efficiently. If they really need you, they'll ask officially, not through a casual message after hours.”
By the time he pinged “Done” at 1:12 AM, six cups of coffee and countless lines of code later, his girlfriend was asleep, the house was dark, and the moment was lost. What remained was guilt, burnout, and a sobering realisation that many in India’s tech industry know all too well: urgent never really means urgent, but it always costs something.
His anonymous post struck a nerve online, triggering a wave of reactions from others in the trenches of Indian corporate life. One user offered a “hack” to escape such late-night requests: pretend there’s a medical emergency. Others shared their exhaustion with companies that expect employees to act like they don’t have homes or lives after hours.
Netizens react
A comment read, “Nothing is more important than family, dude… Just say you need to take someone to the hospital. That’s what I do,” one user confessed. Another shared, “Sad reality of Indian workplaces. We’re just cheap labour where personal lives don’t matter.”
But not everyone is playing along. Some are fighting back, drawing firm lines around their work hours. One said, “Why do I need to give them a reason post-working hours? Why justify having a life?” one commenter asked. “Urgent and important are not the same thing.” Another echoed the same sentiment and shared. “My mentor told me: Spend your time efficiently. If they really need you, they'll ask officially, not through a casual message after hours.”
You may also like
'Abundance of caution': NYPD boosts security across NYC as US makes direct entry in Israel-Iran conflict; steps up protection of cultural and diplomatic sites
Football manager takes job at Airport while on gardening leave after sacking
Jan Suraaj Party Chief Prashant Kishor Slams CM Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Congress At Bihar Rally; Promises Livelihood If Voted To Power
'Shameless Display': Netizens Slams On Viral Video Of Indians Dancing In Thailand Tourist Places
HM Amit Shah in Chhattisgarh: Forensic education, Maoist crackdown on agenda
