Numerous Indian professionals work remotely with American companies and clients from their homes. Most of the time, this involves a rigid schedule that has one awake at odd hours and asleep at others. They have to fit the day within the night and their life within a timeframe that functions in India but is based in the US. At times, this kind of life can make a person feel disconnected from reality as moments of fun and happiness fly by.
Turning Point for an Entrepreneur
Ashwini Kumar, an NIT alum and founder, was facing a similar situation when he decided to turn it all around. The entrepreneur recently took to LinkedIn to share how he reclaimed his health after refusing to work on US time. Kumar said for years, he paid the 'cost of doing business internationally' by sleeping at 4 AM and missing sunlight to accommodate international clients. However, after a severe burnout left him bedridden for two days, he realized the problem wasn't the time zone but his own lack of boundaries.
'I'm in India. Most of my clients are in the US and I still sleep at 10 PM every night. How? I set a boundary. And I stick to it,' wrote the founder who lives in Dubai. He added that after the incident, he decided to step out of the 'Asian entrepreneur mindset' where individuals try to be available to their American clients 24/7. Thus, he decided to go to bed at 10 PM every night and made it clear to his clients that it was 'non-negotiable.'
The Shocking Response
After setting his boundaries, Kumar expected pushback and backlash from his clients, which never came. 'Here's what happened: I told every US client: My available hours are 8 AM - 9 PM IST. That's 10:30 PM - 10:30 AM EST. I expected pushback. I got: Totally understand. We'll make it work,' he wrote. However, as a professional, he ensured that while protecting his physical and mental health, his clients' work never suffered. He extended his communication with them, sharing end-of-day updates, Loom videos, morning syncs, and more.
'I over-indexed on communication: End-of-day updates became non-negotiable (what's done, what's next, what's blocked). Morning syncs reviewing their overnight questions. Loom videos replacing meetings (10-min video > 60-min call),' he explained. He also sat down with each client to explain situations that would constitute an 'emergency,' clarifying the boundaries even further.
Impact on Work and Life
Kumar claimed this one decision drastically impacted the way he works. 'Now we have systems that work WITHOUT me. They wake up to my work. I wake up to their responses. Meetings? Down 80%. Only for actual strategy. AND work and my life got much BETTER. Turns out, clients EXPECT you to have boundaries.' He shared how suddenly 95% of the 'urgent' requests could wait 8 hours as clients expect boundaries. 'Your timezone is not a disadvantage. Your lack of boundaries is,' he added.
Social Media Reactions
The post prompted numerous responses from viewers, with some agreeing and others sharing their own perspectives. One user wrote, 'That shift works because you backed the boundary with systems, not just a rule. Once async and clarity are in place, timezone stops being a constraint and becomes an advantage.' Another added, 'Interesting view, but I think that while setting boundaries is essential, the feasibility of these specific hours can sometimes depend heavily on the nature of the industry and the level of collaboration required for certain roles.' A third shared, 'Trying to do the same. Realised that it's not healthy long term, and most clients prefer async comms.' One user claimed, 'This hits. Most of the pressure we feel is self-imposed, not client-driven.'
