‘I Don’t Cook or Clean in India’: Australian Woman Highlights Work-Life Imbalance and Domestic Help Culture
An Australian woman living in India has stirred debate online after sharing her thoughts on Indian lifestyle, claiming that many working professionals lack work-life balance and heavily rely on domestic help for day-to-day chores. Bree Steele, a podcast producer who has been residing in India since 2023, posted a video on Instagram reflecting on her experience living in the country.
In her video, Steele remarked, “I don’t cook or clean in India. Chores? I don’t know them.” She observed that many Indian households, particularly among the middle and upper classes, employ house help for cooking, cleaning, and laundry.
Comparing it to life in the West, Steele said most people abroad manage all household chores themselves while juggling full-time jobs. “In the West, we do everything ourselves. We work and still do all the cooking and cleaning,” she said.
Steele further pointed out the difference in working hours, saying, “I’ve seen my friends in India take work calls at 9.30 at night. There’s hardly any work-life balance here. The corporate expectations are so intense that if you’re single, there’s no time for personal chores.” She also acknowledged the role of inexpensive labour in making house help common across Indian homes.
The video, which quickly went viral, has prompted a wave of responses and debate online.
Some users agreed with Steele, stating that India’s dependency on domestic help is rooted in systemic income inequality and a highly demanding work culture. “This can only happen in a country with massive income inequality, high levels of poverty, and poor regulation,” one commenter noted.
Others offered a counterpoint, saying Western households often rely on store-bought ready meals instead of cooking fresh food daily, unlike most Indian families.
One Instagram user shared their personal experience: “I grew up in India with house help and now live in the West where I do everything myself. Surprisingly, I still find more time for health and hobbies here. In India, despite all the help, I felt constantly exhausted.”
Steele concluded her video by admitting she felt “ashamed” about how much she enjoyed the convenience of not having to do daily chores in India, sparking further discussion on privilege, cultural norms, and the hidden costs of domestic labour.
The cultural comparison continues to fuel conversation around modern lifestyles, labour ethics, and evolving definitions of work-life balance in India and abroad.
