Australian woman working in India hated office culture until she found the 'no dishes, no dusting' perks at home

In India, the sudden disappearance of house help can turn an ordinary morning into absolute chaos. Breakfast is delayed, laundry piles up, and working professionals find themselves in quite a pickle. While many in the country take domestic help for granted, it is considered a luxury by the West. And now, an Australian woman living in India has sparked a conversation about this very luxury, one she admits she's grown quite fond of.

Bree Steele, an expat content creator, recently shared her thoughts in an Instagram video that’s gone viral. Living in India, she confessed she neither cooks nor cleans anymore. For someone from the West, where doing your own chores is part of daily life, this shift was both surprising and, admittedly, enjoyable. Steele points out how house help is a standard part of life for most middle-class and upper-middle-class Indian households. Whether it’s cleaning, cooking, or laundry, someone is usually hired to take care of it.

She reflects on how, in the West, people often juggle full-time jobs with full-time home responsibilities. But in India, despite having the same (or even longer) work hours, sometimes with late-night calls and unrealistic expectations, people lean on affordable domestic help to stay afloat. What began as a cultural curiosity for her has now become a source of unexpected comfort. Steele even admits, with a hint of guilt, how easily one can get used to not doing the dishes or cleaning up after themselves.


Her post, captioned “Chores? Hardly know ’em!” struck a chord with viewers on both sides of the cultural divide.

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A post shared by Bree Steele | Podcast producer & host (@breesteele.mp3)

The comment section lit up with mixed reactions. Some Indians pointed out the dust-heavy environment and lack of home appliances like dishwashers, making daily cleaning more of a necessity than a choice. Others, especially those who’ve lived both in India and abroad, offered layered perspectives. One shared that despite doing all their chores in the West, they still found more time for personal well-being and hobbies than they ever did in India, where a demanding work culture left them drained, despite having help.

On the flip side, another commenter who had recently moved West noted how exhausting it is to work full-time and manage all chores without assistance. Socialising becomes rare, and cooking often gives way to takeout. Their newfound appreciation for the Indian system was wrapped in both humour and hard-earned experience.