Amid 90-hour work week debate, Neerja Birla calls '8-8-8' rule utopian, stresses work-life harmony

Philanthropist Neerja Birla has described the '8-8-8' rule, which divides a day equally between work, sleep, and leisure, as "utopian" and nearly impossible to follow. Birla, wife of billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla and a champion for mental health, noting that the focus should be on harmonizing work and life, rather than adhering to rigid time splits.

In an interview with PTI Videos on Wednesday, Birla explained, "...getting the work-life balance, exact 8-8-8 hours, is next to impossible. So, that is a utopian concept. But how we bring about harmony in that (is important)."

Her remarks came amidst a heated debate sparked by comments from some high-ranking executives and company founders, advocating for employees to work up to 90 hours a week, even suggesting that work should take precedence over family commitments during weekends.


While some leaders support shorter workdays, others believe productivity should be measured by output rather than time spent working.

Birla, however, advocated for a more balanced approach, stressing the importance of achieving harmony in one's work and personal life. "What we really need to work on is having harmony in working life. How we harmonize that is very important, ultimately it is all about balance," she said.

The conversation also touched upon a recent controversy ignited by comments on the 'India's Got Latent' show. Birla emphasized the need for educational institutions and families to encourage children to use "the right language."

She pointed out that stress, loneliness, and anxiety are increasingly affecting students and that more needs to be done in this area.

Birla's Mpower initiative is actively working to raise awareness and build capacity around mental health issues, aiming to address the growing challenges students face in today’s fast-paced world.