Is City Life worth the Sacrifice?

Got the link to this article, and thought it's really meaningful.

What are you working so hard for. Is there more meaning to your life than working? I've seen some unfortunate premature death and illness strike people I know. And many a times, regret comes too late. "What if..." is never helpful, if nothing has been done.

Is shopping and travelling more important to you than preserving your kinship, friendship,health and wealth? Short-term gratification seems to take first place in this modern society. Do you take a moment to think of how your friend is doing at this moment, make the effort to keep in touch?

I guess you may not have time or even want to face this subject. Think deeper.


Guest comment: Is City life worth the sacrifice?

Are long hours, high pressure and bonus obsession worth it? The premature death of a close relative has helped one ex-banker put things into perspective.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been asking myself a lot of questions about my recent life. My cousin, one of my best friends and more akin to a sister than a cousin, died two weeks ago at just 42. A life tragically cut short, suddenly one sunny January Monday morning. She leaves behind a husband, two young toddlers who don’t understand what has happened and will not remember their mother, and a wealth of grief compounded by legal and tax hell.

For 15 years I worked hard in the City. I was obsessed with doing a good job, working long hours, winning mandates, getting paid and promoted. It was exciting to be a 'name' in the market and to be cited in the financial press. It gave me a buzz.

The accolades of my clients and colleagues were crystallized in a year-end review and bonus number. I felt worthy.

My firm had a genuine commitment to work-life balance, and as an MD, I was encouraged to promote it. But for most of my career, I didn’t really follow it myself. Many of the people I worked with were the same: we thrived in the high pressure environment. I had an adrenaline rush from going to work, wrapped up in the excitement of doing deals.

My friends stopped calling me as I was never available (or if I did make plans I generally had to change them), my husband was fed up with the phone ringing in the middle of the night, and at me for constantly focusing on my Blackberry. I didn’t care; I was seduced by my work. I was ensconced in my own bubble.

These days, I think about my cousin, her children and husband constantly. The things I could have said and done. How often I blew her off because I had to work, how often I forgot to call back, called her back with my mind on other things, didn’t go to see her, was critical of her. I can’t sleep.

I quit work 18 months ago to spend time with my family, to change my life, to get to know my children, to reconnect with my husband, to have a life. Yes, we have less money than before – we have gone from two incomes to one. But we are happier. The stress has dissipated. My husband and I have a normal relationship. Our children know both their parents. It was the right decision. My life has moved on. I wish I could have shared it with my cousin for longer.