Gautam Adani on Work-Life Balance vs. Narayana Murthy’s 70-Hour Work Week

Billionaire Gautam Adani recently shared his thoughts on work-life balance during an interview with IANS. He believes that if you love your job, you can have a work-life balance. Adani explained, “What works for me may not work for someone else. It’s about finding joy in what you do at work and home. For example, if I spend four happy hours with my family, that’s good for me, but if someone else spends eight hours and is unhappy, that’s not right.”

He stressed that true work-life balance depends on being happy together. Adani said, “If working brings you happiness and the other person is happy too, then you have found the right balance.”

This conversation comes after Infosys founder Narayana Murthy got people talking last year when he suggested that working 70 hours a week is important for India to compete globally. Murthy shared his own experience, saying he worked 85-90 hours a week until he retired. He felt a responsibility to work hard, especially since he had the advantage of a decent education.

Murthy stood by his thoughts, saying, “I don’t regret it. Working hard is our duty if we’ve been given opportunities.”

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal also supported Murthy’s idea of a 70-hour work week. He said on a podcast, “When Mr. Murthy spoke about it, I supported him even though I faced criticism online. I believe the next generation must work hard to make India a top country.”

Aggarwal also questioned the typical idea of work-life balance, suggesting that if you enjoy your work, you will be happy in life too.

These differing views from successful leaders highlight how work-life balance can mean different things. While some push for hard work for a better society, others focus on finding happiness in both work and personal life.