Overview

• Travel content creator Soni Saloni wrote that her Dutch boyfriend never understood her quitting a 9–5 until she experienced European work culture firsthand.
• She described restaurants and shops closing by 6–8 pm, Sundays reserved for leisure, and overtime that is formally compensated with clear boundaries on working hours.
• Contrasting this with India, she criticized weekend work and constant busyness, citing a viral L&T chairman remark urging employees to return to the office.
• Her post went viral on LinkedIn, with supporters praising a “work to live” ethos and critics noting tradeoffs such as higher taxes, slower promotions, and lower disposable income in Europe.
• Commenters also referenced the Dutch idea of Niksen, describing the “art of doing nothing” as beneficial, as Indian outlets reported on the debate on Sept 28–29.