Achieving Happiness via Pragmatic Execution

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My NoSmalltalk session with Priyanka Gupta

by Albert Schiller

The prevailing narrative in many ambitious professional environments, particularly within India's burgeoning startup scene, equates extreme working hours with dedication and productivity. The "hustle culture" often demands 14 to16-hour days as a baseline expectation. Priyanka Gupta, however, offers a sharp, pragmatic critique of this norm. Based on her journey through corporate roles and startups, culminating in her own fitness venture, she argues that this model is not only unsustainable ("sickening") but often masks profound inefficiency. Her alternative approach champions rigorous boundary-setting not as a concession, but as a strategic necessity for maintaining long-term energy, clarity, and ultimately, higher-quality output.

Deconstructing the Illusion of Constant Availability

Priyanka directly challenges the expectation of near-constant work availability prevalent in India. "People expect you to work for maybe 14h, 16h right? Which is not sustainable," she stated, identifying the inherent burnout risk. She contrasts this with her observations of European work cultures, where focused work within shorter hours is valued over sheer time spent in the office. Her analysis points to a potential inefficiency embedded within the long-hours culture: "people are sitting in office for maybe 10-12h, right? But maybe the productive hours are only 5-6h, right? Because they're taking long lunch breaks... long coffee breaks... chit chatting". While not inherently bad, this suggests that extended presence doesn't automatically equate to extended productivity. Her preference is clear: "work for maybe 6-7h with full focus... and then I have the rest of the day for myself". This reframes productivity as focused output, not time served.

Boundaries as Strategic Energy Management

Recognizing the unsustainability of constant "on" mode, Priyanka employs strict, non-negotiable boundaries as a core strategy. The most explicit is her 9 PM rule: "After 9, I'm not available for work". This isn't merely about finishing the workday; it's specifically about cutting off mentally stimulating activities – work calls, emails and news consumption – that prevent the brain from unwinding before sleep. "I need my brain to shut down right? Before I go to sleep... Because sleep is very important for recovery," she explained. This positions rest and recovery not as passive downtime, but as active, essential components for enabling high performance the next day. Compromising recovery, she implies, directly compromises future output quality.

Beyond time boundaries, she actively curates her environment to conserve mental and emotional energy. "I'm very conscious about my energy levels... I have limited energy... I want to use it for things that matter to me," she asserted. This translates into consciously avoiding known energy drains: "negative conversations," "gossip," "people who are constantly complaining," and activities like drinking or smoking known to impact next-day energy. This is about pragmatic energy conservation not moral judgement – treating personal energy as a finite resource to be allocated strategically towards prioritized goals, including both work and personal well-being.

Sustainable Performance Over Fear-Driven Hustle

Underpinning this approach is a rejection of fear as a motivator and a commitment to a balanced life where health and happiness are integral to professional success. "Work is important, but work is not everything," she affirmed. Her consistent fitness routine (as explored in Blog1) is not separate from her professional life but foundational to it, providing the energy and resilience needed. By prioritizing health, recovery, and focused work within defined boundaries, she argues for a model of sustainable high performance. This contrasts sharply with a hustle culture potentially driven by fear – fear of falling behind, fear of judgment, fear of missing out – which can lead to detrimental sacrifices in well-being for the illusion of progress. Priyanka's framework suggests that true productivity isn't about maximizing hours worked, but about optimizing energy, focus, and recovery through disciplined boundary-setting.

Priyanka Gupta's critique of hustle culture isn't merely a call for work-life balance; it's a logical argument for a more effective and sustainable model of professional engagement. By prioritizing recovery, managing energy inputs, and focusing on quality output within defined timeframes, she makes a case that disciplined boundaries are not a hindrance to ambition, but potentially the key to achieving it over the long term without succumbing to burnout.

What I Learned From This Encounter.