‘Is This Normal?’ US Man Surprised To See Indian Woman Working At 9 PM: ‘Work-Life Balance Is A Lost Art’

Working late has become a common practice for many corporate employees today. Rising job demands or irregular shift timings often contribute to this, yet few truly understand the challenges these workers face. Recently, a casual encounter captured by a US vlogger sparked both admiration and sympathy online.

The video shows the creator approaching a woman sitting on a stone bench by what appears to be a riverbank. She is seen working on her laptop late in the evening, around 9 PM. Curious, the US vlogger, Jay, strikes up a conversation and asks her about it.

“Excuse me, ma’am. I’m curious—are you working right now?” Jay asked. When the woman replied yes, he continued, “Can I ask you a couple of questions? Would you mind?” She responded, “You can

ask.”

He began by asking her name. Next, Jay inquired, “You don’t have to tell me the company, but what type of work do you do?” The woman replied, “I work for a pharmaceutical company.”

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A post shared by Jay 🔴 IRL India (@jaystreazy)

US Vlogger Questions The Late Working Hours

Eventually, Jay asked the question on his mind. Noting that it was 9 PM, he asked if it was normal for her to work so late. He was even more surprised when the woman replied that it was “usual” for her.

Jay commented, “I see a lot of people working so hard out here, and it’s kind of new to me.” The woman quickly pointed out, “You are also working now.” Jay smiled and said, “It’s not really work. It’s more of a hobby. One day, I hope that, you know, it pops off.”

Internet Praises The Woman’s Dedication

The short clip went viral in no time, with viewers complimenting both the candidness in the conversation and the woman’s dedication. Praising the vlogger, a user wrote, “You are a really kind person and can light up anyone’s mood with your smiling face and kind behaviour.”

Many others were inspired by the woman. “Her calm confidence is inspiring. She didn’t need fancy words to make an impact,” wrote an individual, while another added, “You can tell she’s focused, disciplined and grounded.”

Speaking about work-life balance, a person said, “We are not hourly paid in India, and that’s a sad thing.”

“Yeah, indian working hours are usually around 10-12 hours,” read a comment.

Explaining the situation, one of the social media users wrote, “Indians often have to align their work hours with customers in Europe or the US.”

“Work-life balance is a lost art in India, mate,” noted another.

What is your take on work-life balance in India?