Narayan Murthy's 70-hour workweek remark: Doctor explains why working long hours feels different to Infosys co-founder

Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy's 70-hour workweek remark has often been in the news. Last year, Murthy suggested it as a way to boost India's productivity. While some view it as a call for ambition and dedication, others see it as a gateway to burnout and a toxic work culture. Neurologist Dr Sid Warrier also reacted to the issue on an episode of 'For a Change', a podcast hosted by actor R Madhavan, released on December 21, 2024. Dr Warrier explained why working long hours feels drastically different for someone like Murthy compared to his employees.

"When I'm working in my own hospital, I can be there 24/7, but because it's my thing, my brain doesn't register it as work," he said. “For Narayana Murthy, Infosys is his baby. He can put in endless hours without feeling drained. But an employee working the same hours for someone else may feel their time is being taken away, that's what creates stress.”

Dr Warrier further said that the key isn't the number of hours, whether it's 40, 50, or 70, but whether the work energises or drains them. "It's not really about work or no work, it's about stress or no stress," he concluded. Check out the video here:

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by In Search of Peace (@liv_inginpeace)

Moreover, L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan recently advocated a 90-hour workweek. His remarks, including, “how long can you stare at your wife,” drew massive criticism online and led to fresh discussions on the importance of work-life balance.

READ | Meet man, Harvard alumnus, who leads Rs 180000 crore company, son of Indian billionaire whose net worth is Rs...